“And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not exact it of his neighbor, his brother, because the Lord’s release has been proclaimed.” – Deuteronomy 15:2
Debt can be crushing. The accumulated debt from credit cards, a mortgage, a car or two, student loans, maybe a line of credit … it can all feel like a 500-pound weight on one’s shoulders. Do we ever escape this burden?
The average American is more than $50,000 in debt. Financial hardship can make people up to 20 times more likely to commit suicide. Debt is increasingly realized as a catalyst for depression.
This doesn’t even take into account our national debt of more than $30 trillion, brought on by profligate government spending. Too much has been promised to too many, by irresponsible “leaders” who know they won’t be left holding the bag.
Will future generations really be better off? Or will our mountain of money owed, become an avalanche that buries their dreams?
Whom Do You Really Owe?
“Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debt.” – Proverbs 22:26
Here’s the good news: Personal debt can be cleaned up. It takes a lot of discipline, and sacrifice, and often a strong dose of humility. Fixing the balance sheet is possible, though.
Have you ever considered your debt in the spiritual realm, which is far more important than earthly nickels and dimes?
We are all inherently broken souls. We want to do good, yet continuously slip up. Sins of the flesh, especially, can be hard-to-resist wrongful acts. Look no further than King David and Bathsheba, told in both 2 Samuel and 1 Kings.
Our sins of thought, word and deed add up to significant faith debt. Those chits on the wrong side of the ledger just keep growing. The weight gets heavier and heavier. It’s easy to feel hopeless about the burden, and inevitably doomed to hell.
So, are we?
A Debt Resolved – and Forgiven
“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more? Simon answered, ‘The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.’ And he said to him, ‘You have judged rightly.’” – Luke 7:41-43
Whether you’re the larger debtor or the smaller one – and who among us really knows? – good news awaits.
God has forgiven us. Christ died a ghastly, brutal death to release us from our sins. Our debt has been paid in full. Our balance sheets are clean.
Consider the redeeming words of Colossians 2:13-14: “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”
OK, let out the big “WHEW!” Wipe the sweat off the forehead. Shake the tension from the neck and shoulders. This should be the pinpoint definition of “relief.”
Now, some questions: What will you do with this newfound freedom? How will you reach the full potential that God has granted you?
How will you show God your appreciation? Are you willing to tell others about His amazing, all-forgiving “debt elimination service?”
It’s up to you. You’ve been granted a reprieve from the trouble (and searing heat) that surely awaited down the road. We’re all free, thanks to Jesus.
It’s the ultimate “weight off our back” … as well as the ultimate gift we’ll ever receive.
(If you’re ready to embrace Christ, He’s ready for you. Visit C Suite for Christ to join in Christ-centered fellowship with other professionals. Submit a prayer request for a pressing need in your life. Participate in a virtual prayer session to ask God to be with those who have submitted requests. Follow C Suite for Christ on LinkedIn and Facebook. Questions? Contact Paul M. Neuberger at (414) 313-8338 or pneuberger@csuiteforchrist.com.)
