IOU

 “…and he took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what thou owest. ” (Mt 18:28b)

In Matthew 18 the Lord Jesus tells the story of two debtors and a graceful and disgraceful spirit.  One man who was forgiven an enormous debt seized another poor man by the throat for a much lesser debt owed him.  The first debt was so enormous that the consequent lack of charity displayed was outrageous.  Scholars (so to speak ) have gone over these ancient books of the transgressor and attempted to calculate how much was owed and how much was forgiven.  Ten thousand talents, whatever it was, was more than could ever be paid. 

Every once in a while I go over my own books.  When I see the credits and the debits I am still astonished at  how hopelessly in debt I was.  My sins are so many that I too should have spent eternity in the debtor’s prison called Hell.  But there, written across the enormous total, written in blood, is see the Word “forgiven.”  King Jesus has forgiven my debt.

 Now my life should be one great IOU of gratitude.  Paul called himself a “debtor.”  If you ever find yourself indebted to me, if you have ever sinned against me, if you ever want to close the books on a spiritual, emotional, or practical debt, come God has deposited enough in my accounts that I will not “take you by the throat” but hug you around the neck and give you some of the vast treasure of forgiveness God has given me.  God has given me so much grace I have no excuse for not being gracious. 

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