Home » Thoughts for the Week » How much do I owe God? (19 May)

How much do I owe God? (19 May)

Our Thought for the Week this week is from Jeniya Gwendu, our Moderator of EBA Council and she asks the questions ‘How much do I owe God?’

A friend sent this message in our ladies WhatsApp group which reads:

A 78 year old man fell apart and was transported to the hospital.

We gave him oxygen to support him for 24 hours.

After a while he was better.

So the doctor gave him his $500 bill, and when he saw the bill he started crying.

The doctor told him not to cry because of the bill.

But the man said I do not cry because of money, I can pay all the money.

I am crying because for only 24 hours of using oxygen, I have to pay $500, but I have been breathing the free air of God for 78 years.

I never paid anything, do you know how much I owe him?

The doctor lowered his head and fell to tears.

The air we breathe is free, but how often do we thank God for the breath of life?

Often we look at our lives and see what we do not like or what may not be working out well. However if we just take time to reflect, we will come to realise as the 78 year old did, that there are many daily things God has blessed us with, which we often overlook or take for granted.

As lockdown restrictions are now easing, and we are looking forward to the new normal, reflect on what has occurred in the past year and ask yourself how much do I/we owe God?  You might want to centre your reflections on your church, health, family, workplace, community and yourself.

1 Thessalonians 5:18, (NIV) urges us to “ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

I am also reminded of the words from an old hymn I used to sing, which says, “ He paid a debt he did not owe and I owed a debt I could not pay, I needed someone to wash my sin away, And now I sing a brand new song ; amazing grace for Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay”.  The truth is we do not owe God anything because His love and grace has already paid the cost  but our responsibility is to be thankful for everything He does for us.

(Image by Alan Cleaver from Pixabay)