Just recently (as in today) I made my very last student loan payment. Those stinkers have been haunting me for way longer than I ever imagined when I first signed the dotted lines. The relief, weight, and burden that was lifted off of my shoulders was amazing. We were debt free except for the house. I felt 30 lbs lighter. I wanted to do a flip flop but decided I better not since I have a bride and groom counting on me for 12 hours of service tomorrow.
But that fact of weight being lifted off of me when I knew we were debt free struck me still. Which got me to thinking (I am sure you just sighed and said "Oh great…that is dangerous") …. is this how we feel about knowing that our debt of sin has been paid for? In full. Nothing to fear. It is done. "When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." John 19:30
Did you catch that. He "gave up his spirit" for you. Completely. You don't have to DO anything except accept his gift. That gift he gave you means nothing unless you take it.
Brother Bill hit an out of the ballpark homeroom with his message this past Sunday. It was exactly what I and the people sharing pew sweat with me needed to hear. I teared up over and over through the service, as if he was talking right to me. It was all I could do not to literally "boohoo" during his closing prayer.
You see, I accepted God's gracious gift of salvation nearly 23 years ago. But I have not lived 23 years like a saved person at all. Like all fallen people, I have had my moments of really bad choices and really good choices. But I did not feel like those good choices were made because I knew God was calling me there. It was just a choice and graciously God protected me in those choices. It was not until about 7 years ago that I really, fully understood God's grace and that he wanted me to have it, for free. It is not about following a law. It is not about doing good. It is not about being nice. All of those things come (or should come - we should stand out from a non Christian in a positive way, not a "I'm going to beat you with this Bible" way) with being a Christian and having His fruit, but it's all about me being a sinner, saved by His grace. It is done. He paid my debt and I am free from the depths of hell and will one day serve my Risen Savior on streets paved in gold.
"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender." Proverbs 22:7
**Praise be to the most Gracious who brought us opportunity after opportunity to throw money at these debts! I will post a whole Dave Ramsey Debt Free post one day … it is long and tiring, but we are so thankful that God led us to his program.
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