You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. — Colossians 2:13-14
In college, I worked at a video rental store, a sort of Blockbuster clone. It was a marvelous part-time job. I met some wonderful people.
Checking out videos was pretty simple. Customers provided their phone numbers, which I entered into the computer, opening their account. They handed me the VHS cassettes they wanted to rent, and I scanned them with a UPC gun. The computer would tell me how much they owed. Eventually, I got used to seeing familiar prices flash on the screen.
It was a small store, and I got to know every customer. One day, a woman came in I had never seen. She chose a video and brought it to the counter. I punched in her number and up popped her account. I scanned the cassette and was already in the process of saying, “That will be $3.79,” when I saw something that shocked me.
The screen did not say $3.79. It said $0.00. I stared at it, wondering what happened. I looked up at the woman. She was looking back at me with a knowing smile. She obviously had seen bemused expressions like mine before.
“It’s correct,” she said.
Who was she? Some kind of sorceress? “How?” I sputtered.
She mentioned the names of our store’s owners. “I’m a nun at their church. We’ve been friends for many years.” They told her it would always be free whenever she wanted to rent a video. She didn’t watch movies often, but when she did, the owners had programmed the computer for her to get them free of charge.
I gave her the videos, and she said goodbye. I stood there thinking that what just happened was a little like what happens to us as Christians.
We all carry the debt of sin in our hearts. It’s with us from the moment we’re born. It’s been with us since Adam and Eve. The cost of that debt is so high that none of us could ever pay it.
Then God sent his son Jesus Christ to live as we do, overcome sin, and pay the final cost of that sin by sacrificing his life. Jesus was sinless, but he let himself become the atonement for our sins when he was unjustly nailed to the cross.
Jesus did this so we would not have to pay sin’s ultimate price: eternal spiritual death. All we would have to do is have faith in him, and our debt would be cleared. The account would read zero.
The woman in the video store acknowledged that she had done nothing to deserve the free gifts she received. She had only become friends with the owners.
One day, when I stand in judgment before God, I will acknowledge the same. I may have done some good things, but not nearly enough to make up for the weight of sin I carry. With deepest gratitude, I can only look to my friend Jesus Christ and say that my debt has been canceled by His love and grace.
You can say the same if you believe in Him, too.
Thank you for reading!
The highlight of November was Thanksgiving! I am so thankful for my loving family, friends, and students. I am also thankful for each of you who reads every month. Of course, I’m most thankful for the love of Jesus Christ!