Debt.

I owe my Dad some money. Ok, a lot of money. Like 300 dollars (mostly for phone bills that I haven't been able to pay and gas money that I couldn't afford for the last nine months of unemployment). It's a terrible feeling to be in debt. Whenever I think about it, I get that awful sinking feeling in my gut. That how-am-I-ever-going-to-pay-him-back sort of feeling. But then it got me thinking of how much debt we all have, really. The Creator of the universe took the time to create each one of us with unique characteristics not found in anyone else who has ever lived on this planet, which, let me remind you, is a lot of people. We owe Him a great deal.

You see, He desired that we would love Him with the same kind of love that He first showed us. A perfect love free from jealousy, greed or ulterior motives. But for that love to be perfect, He had to give us a choice. Without a choice it wouldn't be love. We could choose Him (life, goodness, love) or we could choose the opposite (death, evil, hate). But we chose the opposite. We choose the opposite. Everyday we choose to lie, cheat, steal, lust, idolize, and live like the entitled hypocrites that we are. And so we are in debt. I'm not talking about 300 dollars worth of debt. I'm talking about lifetimes of unpayable debt. We cannot by ourselves pay back our debt because we are imperfect creatures. Now think about that sinking feeling in your gut again. It just got a thousand times worse, right? But then imagine Someone coming along to tell you,

"Your debt has been paid in full."

What?! Are you serious?! Suddenly all your fear and anxiety is washed away as you embrace that new feeling of relief; the same feeling with which you had become so unfamiliar. No more feeling like someone is watching you, waiting for you to pay back what you owe. You're finally free. And that's what Jesus did for us. Because of Him, we. are. free.