In addition to a good old dose of summer heat, July gave our country a nauseating dose of debt debate. Even though the “debt ceiling” crisis is behind us, it appears that we just merely “kicked the can down the road a’piece”. Whatever happened to the idea that we are to be both responsible and accountable for our choices? I suspect future generations are going to look back at this time in history asking, “What in the world were those people smoking?” “Thanks a’lot.”

But isn’t this typical of what we do every day? We seem to find it easier to procrastinate than to deal with the consequences of our actions. This is especially true in the spiritual realm. We are masters at finger-pointing blame games. We may get some momentary clearing of the conscience by passing the buck, but our real problem has not gone away. The day of reckoning will come; “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” 2 Cor. 5:10

The inevitability of a day of reckoning is not a pleasant thought to a debtor, especially if the debt is unfathomable. Can you get your mind around the size of the national debt? I can’t. Even more incomprehensible is the notion that it will ever be paid off. It is almost impossible to imagine America without debt. What can we do? I do not have the short answer to the national debt, but I do know what can be done about our personal transgressions.

Jesus answered the question one day by telling about a servant who owed his master more than he could ever pay (Matt. 18:21-35). In an effort to effort to help us get the picture, commentators have compared the amount the servant owed to our national debt. It was an enormous amount of money. What did he do? He asked his master for forgiveness. He was “debt free” when his master forgave the debt.

His debt was not paid by another; it wasn’t postponed; the ceiling was not raised for the “umpteenth” time. His generous master wiped the ledger clean. One magnanimous act freed him! Herein, we learn about the grace of God. It is immeasurable, incomprehensible, and indispensable.

Without God’s grace we are hopelessly lost. Apart from divine grace we will die in sin and that is much worse than dying in debt. Those who die in sin will be eternally separated from God. Unlike the national debt, there is a clear path of escape from our bad choices and it’s FREE. The apostle Paul put it this way: “the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord” Romans 6:23.

Can you image someone offering to erase our national debt? “Impossible”, you say. That is the point. Only God is that gracious. Accept His offer!