The Call
What if all your debts were called right now?
All of sudden your bank accounts were emptied to cover both your current debts and all past debts to include every penny spent on your behalf by every person you ever knew along with every stranger you never heard of.
Ok perhaps that’s going too far. After all, many of these gifts were actually gifts.
So you don’t owe for all of them, just the ones you were ungrateful for, the ones you expected, the ones that didn’t please you, and the ones that weren’t what you wanted. Just pay back those.
What if, at the same time, through the door to your room began entering every person you had ever hurt, either by your words or actions? And it wasn’t just those you remembered hurting; it was those who remember being hurt by you. Imagine a line heading out the door and snaking down the street. And each one stopped and looked you in the eye and recalled to you exactly what it was you did. And imagine as they told you it all came back in vivid detail. Your brain, that normally doesn’t remember where you left your keys, suddenly is able to find all these old tapes and replay them.
One after another they come in and, when finished, walk out by another door. Some come and go quickly, but others (you know who they are) stay for hours.
How long do you think the whole process would take?
Finally, the last one enters and sits down.
You know exactly who he is. He was the one you feared the most. No, it isn’t your bookie or the devil. It turns out they have too many problems of their own to worry about you. This one just sits and looks at you waiting for you to open your mouth and give your defense. You try, believe me, but nothing comes out.
After this, two others enter the room through the back door. One sits down beside you and the other sort of hovers around in the back. (You didn’t get a very clear picture of that one).
Well, the one who sat beside you was, in some ways, a stranger. You two had actually never met before, although his pictures were all over the place and you knew that some had written books and made movies about him. Of course, the giveaway were the unusual scars on his wrists.
So he turns to you and says, “I can help you, but first, I need your permission. Understand, however, that if I do this for you, you must agree to follow me. You must give up running your life alone the way you have been, which obviously, has caused a lot of pain, especially to those you love and who love you.”
It’s a big decision, but let’s, for the sake of this story, imagine you clearly see your predicament, feel terrible about all the people you have hurt, and agree to the terms.
What happens next is the most interesting part.
The hovering guy behind you disappears. The guy next to you gives you a big grin, but then stands up and walks around the table to the other guy and they embrace and actually cry. You have never seen two people happier that you can recall. Then they turn to you and say together: “All your debts, penalties and failures are hereby erased. They will never haunt you again. You are a free and righteous man (or woman) from this day forward.”
“What does this mean?” You ask.
“It means all penalties and punishments for all of your debts, past, present, and even future have been taken from you and placed on someone else. He has paid your debt. You are a free man.
“But I didn’t do anything!” you protest.
“Oh yes you did. You agreed to the new terms for your life. You agreed to follow the one who just saved you. (“That would be me,” the younger one who was a moment ago sitting at your right side says while smiling and giving you a little wave).
“In addition, you have received the gift of the one who is now inside you.” (You feel a strange tingle rising up from your chest) “He will teach and guide you from now on. Listen for his voice. He isn’t loud, but very clear when he speaks. Oh. and he will never tell you to do anything that opposes what is clearly taught in the Bible. You know what that is, right?”
“But just agreeing is all I did. That wasn’t much of anything,” you protest. “There must be more to this on my part.”
“It’s good you understand this. The penalties for the damages you have inflicted on others has now been transferred to someone who was sinless himself so he could suffer and die in your place. His blood is your atonement and you now, in the eyes of God, are covered by the righteousness of this other who you can call your savior. You see, if you actually were responsible to do more than simply accept the free gift, it would no longer be a gift. You would have been able to earn it, but you can’t, anymore than you can pay back all the people you have wronged in your life. You were in a hopeless situation and only God fixes hopeless.”
Now, I know you are wondering, what if you had declined the savior’s offer?
Then your debts and failures would remain and God, in respect of your choice, would leave your presence forever. That’s how much he honors your decision. He will never force you to be with him.
Then suddenly you wake up.
What a crazy dream that was![1]
[1] Hebrews 3:12-14
Very powerful