Now, I’m no economist, but I’ve been watching closely the recent troubles with the economy what with sub-prime defaults and credit crunches and the like.
I guess some folks might regard this as judgment, and I suppose it is in a way – but really it’s similar to the final situation of a person who takes a jump off a cliff. That is to say – there are consequences to actions.
If you do decide to jump off a cliff, everything is good for a while (falling never hurt anybody). However, the reality of ground at the bottom does tend to put a damper on things eventually. That’s not far off the situation for those who could not afford what they borrowed, and for those who lent based on greed. The sensation of ‘flying’ is just great – but all untenable things must come to an end. So it is now.
Now, all this got me to thinking that this scenario is not far off from where we all are in life. God makes it abundantly clear (Matthew 18 v23-35) that we are major debtors. To whom? To Him. Our credit cards are maxed out – out as far as it is possible to go with sin. We have, all of us, a huge, huge sin debt to God. And, this life is pretty much like that time of falling. It’s just great – while it lasts. But there comes a time of reckoning, when cold hard reality will intrude on our fantasies of flying. When the debt is called in.
There really are two choices – one of two ways to go. We can either believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and become His disciple – the Way that costs both nothing and everything. In following that Way your debt is paid off in full, dying in Christ His payment covers you, that you may then live in Him.
The other way is to pay the debt off yourself, in eternity, in Hell.
Those are your choices. For, whoever you are, however good or otherwise you regard yourself to be, you cannot hold a candle to the Holiness of God. You are living far, far beyond your means. Only in Christ is there a Way to meet that payment. But – it is a hard road and few find it.
Come to me, all who labour and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11 v28)
The Age To Come 
What you say makes so much sense and sounds so simple. Is it because we have become so lazy that we seek only the easy way to short term satisfaction and disregard what we cannot phisycally hold on to? In my work with children who struggled to read most had difficulties because they hadn’t realized that there is work involved in learning to read. There is work involved in following Christ. The task may seem insurmountalbe, but the reward is great!
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A good analogy and well said Peter!
May we ever walk the narrow road, The Way that leads to Life, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!
It is a life of rest in the storm, and peace in the midst of battle. Free yet costing everything; what a perfect paradox.
Blessings,
Susan
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In my life time, 46 yrs- the US has become spoiled and addicted to material stuff and covenience items that were viewed as unnecessary when I was growing up. For instance, I see it as a pain to not have a remote control to change channels. This is sad. In 1973 when the Arabs cut us off from oil, there was an immediate movment to car pooling and conservation which we nnow reject as being too inconvenient. The attitude is that we should never give up these things no matter how unaffordable they become. There is a much stronger sense of entitlement and much less personal responsibilty. I am just addicted to these things as anyone around me with the computers and t.v. and driving [which I have to do for work]. I’ve been reading “The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire’ And it seems to me we are following the same path to cultural and spiritual decay that they followed. How does my Christianity help me and my family deal with this? Not as much as it should, but that is my own lack of discipline and responsibility.
Just some thoughts on how things have changed since the 60’s-70’s.
Dan
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Hello fijimom. I know that email address, now don’t I? 🙂 You’ll have to tell me what is behind the name…. You’re quite right – there is indeed work in following Christ – I’m going to be bringing that into the sermon this Sunday!!
Susan – Hey, people keep bringing bits of my sermon out ahead of time. I must have a leak, lol. But yes, free, and costing everythingh, as you say!
Dan – I’m not quite as old as you, a mere stripling of 38. However, it does seem that way. We’ve had so much, and rather than using it to bless, we’ve choked ourselves with it. Indeed, coming to North America was an eye-opener, like coming from a ‘1st world’ country to a ‘0th world’ country. Still, God is not finished with us yet…
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