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Let no debt remain outstanding!

Debt of love. THE GREATEST DEBT I OWE IS LOVE. Know this, just in case you do not read any further. “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God” (1 John 4:7). It just occurred to me the other day that my precious God has credited my account with love; and He did so in huge amounts. And just as in any other transaction, it falls upon me to pay what I owe. Unfortunately though, I have realized that I have accrued some bad debts. A bad debt is debt that you owe and you cannot afford to pay. I would suggest that you do your best to pay back the debt and avoid taking on anymore debt. Soon, it shall be written off by the creditor as a loss because the debt cannot be collected and all reasonable efforts to collect it have been exhausted. Dear friend, how much love do you owe? Don’t you think our almighty Father has exhausted all reasonable efforts to collect it? He gave His son for us.

Our friend Paul, in one of His love letters says, “We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange, open wide your hearts also.” (2 Cor. 6:11-13) Friend, love your neighbor as yourself. “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.” (Rom. 13: 8). Paul is simply reminding us that we never can love enough. Love for my neighbor is akin to my heartbeat. As long as it beats, I live. Similarly, as long as I love , I am alive.

Brethren, it is a good thing to pay our debts. But it is even a better thing to pay them in time. In His word, God makes it crystal clear that he hates bad debts. He pleads with us “Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor” ( Rom 13:7). And if love, love. In the same tenor of command, the wise king Solomon advised us, “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow’-- when you now have it with you.” (Prov. 3:27-28).

Friend, don’t you agree that love is good? And who deserves it?- My neighbor. And who’s got the power to love? I do. Therefore, it is my duty to share my love with them that deserve it. So then, my dear reader, let us walk around let us knock our neighbor's door today, and as love peddlers reach out everywhere. Just as Jesus stood at the doors of hearts with a free offer of love and we let Him in, let us stand at our neighbor's doors today with a similar offer of love. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us” ( 1 John 3:1). Whatever you receive freely, give out freely.

Dear friend, our God did not withhold His love from us. For He so loved us, He gave His only son Jesus, Christ. As a fair exchange we ought to open wide our hearts also to Him. Yet, the only sure way we can achieve this, is by loving our brothers and sisters. He says, “Whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matt. 25:40)

Beloved of God, we owe love; let us pay love. In business, when there is no longer any doubt that a debt is uncollectible, the debt becomes bad.We would not wish to be written off by our creditor when time is up. The  good news is that our Father is only in the business of saving souls, and He would not wish to lose any. For this reason, He has allowed us some extra time (2 Peter 3:9). Perhaps this should be our motto, ‘ Christians always pay their debts’. Nevertheless, Romans 13:8 reminds us that love is a continuing debt. Therefore, let us love till death do us part!
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