DEBTOR
labor of love

an introduction

"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing
debt to love one another, for he who loves his
fellowman has fulfilled the law."
(Romans 13:8)

Having just finished celebrating the wonderful birth of our Savior, the Christmas story provides for us a wonderful illustration of the great lengths our God has taken to demonstrate the depth of His love for all humanity.  Without fully understanding the debt we owed, God took the initiative and deposited on earth the unlimited gift of His grace - His beloved, one and only Son.

"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us"
(Romans 5:8).

Not because of anything we asked for or anything we have done, but solely as a gift of His amazing grace (reference Ephesians 2:8-9); God saw the magnitude of our need and He took it upon Himself to wipe the slate of our sin-debt clean with the precious and priceless blood of His Son (reference 1 John 1:7, 9). A sacrificial act of extraordinary love; an act regarded as foolishness in the eyes of the world (reference 1 Corinthians 1:18); all "...to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good" (Titus 2:14).

"My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command."
(John 15:13-14)

Jesus Christ laid down His life for us so that we could experience an abundant life on earth and eternal life with Him in heaven.  He spared no expense to deliver us from the pit of sin.  He paid the highest price to remove the shackles that enslaved us and set us free to do His will.  Do we truly understand the insurmountable debt we owed?  Can we truly grasp the level of forgiveness we have been given?  How far are we willing to go to express our gratitude and love to the One who has set us free?

"Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven - for she loved much.
But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
(Luke 7:47)

The sinful woman, who anointed Jesus at the Pharisees house, held nothing back as she soaked Jesus' feet with tears of gratitude, filling the room with the fragrant aroma of perfume as she sought to express her love to the One who had forgiven her many sins.  She worshiped Him as any truly humbled and forgiven servant would - fully surrendered; with her whole heart, soul and strength.  She had found healing for her heart and had experienced the true heart of worship - at the feet of Jesus.

This is the heart response of one who has been forgiven - overwhelming love!  God has forgiven our debt and our account has been credited with His righteousness (reference Romans 4:5).  At our disposal is an endless supply of His grace and love made available for us so that we might share the vast wealth of His kingdom with the spiritual poor and destitute in the world.  He has placed in our hearts the key to the storehouse of heaven and has given us this command: love one another.

"A new command I give you:  Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
(John 13:34-35)

Jesus personally showed us "the most excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:31) - the way of love - as He humbly and obediently laid His life down on the cross; making the final, once-and-for-all, payment for our sin-debt (reference Hebrews 9:12, 26; 10:10, 12). He has delivered us from spiritual poverty and made us abundantly wealthy.  When we accepted His priceless and costly gift we became heirs to His kingdom and partakers of the riches of His glory, grace, and wisdom (reference Galatians 4:7). We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing so that we might be a blessing to others (reference Ephesians 1:3-8). 

Everyday we have the option to live as princes(ses), crowned children of the King, or paupers, bankrupted by a thief who daily tries to rob us of our spiritual wealth in Christ (reference John 10:10). The choice we make is dependent upon the path we take.  The path of crowned requires denial of self, and complete, whole-hearted dedication and obedience to the King.  

"If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross and follow Me."
(Mark 8:34)

The cost of being a disciple of Jesus Christ is one of total commitment.  Jesus set the example for us by being fully surrendered to the will of the Father (reference John 4:34).  He calls us to do the same reminding us: "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:30).  He bore the full weight of our sin-debt and set us free to walk in newness of life with the gift of His Holy Spirit to guide us; enabling and empowering us to fulfill the law of love (reference 1 John 1:3).

The journey of the debtor is the continuing work of God's great labor of love - taking up the cross of Christ and motivated by love to meet the needs of others - this journey takes us to the place where all God's great works begin - the place of prayer.  Answering the call of prayer is a labor of love.  These next forty days are a journey to touch the heart of God by sharing His heart with others in the most powerful way possible - through prayer!  May this journey take us to the depths of God's love, transforming our hearts in the process and touching the lives of others who are in need of His great love!

"And over all these virtues put on love,
which binds them together in perfect unity."
(Colossians 3:14)