The Debt He Paid Was Yours
I’m still in the afterglow of the resurrection and savoring what it meant to us. The stone was rolled away. He is alive and so are we – to live forever.
I held onto this story for today. One of my guilty pleasures is watching some reality shows of which one is American Idol and one of the judges is Lionel Richie. From all the years of appreciating Lionel’s music as a couple, I’ve enjoyed the wisdom that he offers to the contestants. Did you know that he seriously considered studying divinity to become a priest in the Episcopal Church? But, as a talented musician, he ultimately opted for a musical career. A career where he has sold over 90 million records, became one of the most successful recording artists of all time and a multi-millionaire in the process. Guessing he made the right decision!
He explained in an interview that he came from a very poor background but started to make some really good money from his singing. It was his father’s birthday and Lionel gave him a huge box that contained his present. As his father took off the wrapping paper and opened the box to more layers upon layers of paper, he eventually got to the heart of it, which was just a tiny piece of paper that said: “All debts paid.” His father said, `What, you’ve paid my credit card debt?’ And Lionel said, “Yes, your credit card debt, plus your car, plus your mortgage.” All his father’s debts were paid.
ALL DEBTS PAID is what Jesus did on the cross for you and me. I love the old song: “He paid a debt, He did not owe; I owed a debt I could not pay. I needed someone to wash my sins away. And, now I sing a brand new song: ‘Amazing grace’; My Savior paid a debt that I could never payl”
Maybe, unlike me, you aren’t still living in the afterglow of Easter. Maybe you weren’t in the glow at all because you’re a bit skeptical about Jesus’ resurrection. Sure, you’ve heard of the many Christians down the centuries, and around two billion people in the world today, who celebrate Jesus’ rising from the dead and who would testify to the fact that a risen Jesus has changed their lives. But maybe you’re one of those who don’t want to believe because Jesus’ rising from the dead means that He is who He says He was and though He promises life everlasting to those who do believe and obey His commands, it means there is a responsibility to look for Him. But it’s not a game of hide and seek! God doesn’t hide so we must look for him in obscure places. He isn’t so concealed that we can’t find Him; He revealed Himself through Jesus.
Luke writes that the women, having heard the words of the angel: “He is not here, He is risen”, ran to tell the disciples who were confused, angry, fearful, and hiding away. They didn’t believe what they heard but went to look for themselves. Maybe that’s like you. You’re ready to start looking for yourself. It may be that God’s still small voice won’t go away and leave you alone. May I suggest that it’s time for you to start trusting and believing in a God who has the power to change your life.
Perhaps it’s time for you to start taking your faith seriously. Perhaps there’s that lingering thought in your mind that Jesus could be right. That He loves you so much that He paid your debt off in the full and all He asks for in return is for you to surrender your life to Him and spend eternity with Him forever and ever. In that case, that stone was rolled away for you – not to let Jesus out – He was already out. It was rolled away to let you in. Won’t you come in today?