For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
Jesus kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane weeping tears so deep they turned to blood.
How often do I accept the grace of His forgiveness without truly understanding the sacrifice?
Willingly carrying my cross, He laid down and spread out His arms as nails were hammered into his wrists.
He didn’t fight for His rights. He didn’t file a claim.
After spending another day being on hold and talking to representative after representative I became overwhelmed with the knowledge that I could end up spending another 3 years paying off this false charge.
I was shocked because I really thought I would be credited immediately.
I called my mom who was compassionate and told my dad. I heard my dad say something in the background.
“Tell her not to worry about it, I’m sending a check in the mail.”
“What?”
I began to sob.
My dad was going to pay my debt. All of it.
Every cent and more.
Without any questions.
Without any reservations.
A debt he didn’t owe.
He covered it.
It felt like the love of Jesus dying on the cross once again for me. Washing over me, my Heavenly Father showing me on earth that He takes care of me. That He still pays my debt. Every day. Every sin. All the time. No matter what.
Grace. Immeasurable underserved grace.
Eventually, the false charge was reversed by Apple and my bank replaced the money.
But I know I can’t reverse the stain of my sin on my own. I know I can’t pay the price of my own sin. There is no reversing it. No matter how hard I try.
But our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, He can. His body was broken to cover my debt. By His wounds we are healed.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
Maybe sometimes it’s good to feel the weight of our sin so that we might understand the true freedom from its release.
And maybe, just maybe some of our inconvenient trials are meant to lead our earthly eyes towards heaven in order for us to see clearly the sacrificial love the Father has for us.
That’s what the verse says. Our punishment was “on” Jesus. He took it for us. So we can have peace.
Though my sins have been atoned for
though my debt has been set free
may I never forget the price you paid
when you died upon that tree.
Have you ever had an experience that opened your eyes to the sacrificial love of Jesus for you?
This article originally appeared at ValerieMurray.com.
