The Debt Is Paid

While in the doctor’s waiting room I was browsing a May 26th issue of Newsweek and began reading about the China earthquake. Unlike the reaction of the Burmese government leaders amidst their national weather disaster, the Chinese leaders poured rescue troops into the effected areas within hours of their disaster. Help and aide from throughout China in the form of personal contributions was so great the leaders of local governments asked that no more be sent for a period of time for they had no place to store it all. When victims were interviewed by reporters, although very distraught now living with death and destruction all around, they seemed to be very well informed about their situation and what they could expect to happen over the next few weeks. When asked what has given them the most hope for recovery so far, they overwhelmingly answered the immediate visit of the Chinese Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao. Their leader had come to see for himself and made discussions on the spot as to what must be done for the survivors. The philosophy of the Chinese Department For Public Communication is simple and straight forward. “Tell the truth; Tell it fast; Tell it first” The natural disaster forced the Chinese people and government to mobilize and pay a debt they don’t owe to their fellow-countrymen, who now need to rebuild their shattered lives.
I always promise to not get political in this column, but sometime it can’t be helped. As I read I couldn’t help but think about Memorial Day and our honoring of the war dead who served this country, paying the debt of freedom with their life. I also couldn’t help but think about all those who have survived, only to return to a devastated home buried in debt, unemployment and perhaps having been maimed or crippled for life, who find themselves without the guidance of their leaders who sent them to war in the first place. Something is definitely wrong when it takes private contributions to build housing for families trying to recover from the personal devastations inflicted by serving their country. Our love for one another is outstanding, but where are our leaders? Veterans are asking questions and receiving no answers. Why? That’s all I’ve got to say about that.
A six-year-old boy was asked where his grandmother lived. “Oh”, he said, “She lives at the airport and when we want her we just go get her. Then when we’re done having her visit, we take her back to the airport.”
[Hebrews 10: 9-10] We live in a world of devastating sin, that is, disobedience toward God’s will for man. Greed, selfishness, murder, sexual immorality, stealing, lying and cheating are just some of the things that destroy our lives. Sin separates us from the love and blessings of God. God demands a blood sacrifice for the atonement of sin, but the sacrifice of bulls and goats did not satisfy this requirement. Jesus, the Word of God, stepped forward as a man and willingly sacrificed his sinless body, one man for all men, shedding his blood which covered all sins ...past, present and future. Jesus came to our rescue in the midst of our sin sick devastation. We have received from God guidance for rebuilding our lives and our relationship with Him. In Jesus, we have truth and hope for everlasting life with our Father in heaven. “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; Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.”