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“No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one other than you! There is no rock like our God!” 1 Samuel 2:2  (NET)

Our homeowner’s association is in the process of placing liens on the homes of owners who haven’t paid their dues for years, leaving the association lacking enough funds to care for our private roads. This isn’t being done because they’re angry at those folks, but out of a need for everyone to share the load. All of the residents in our subdivision must deal with ruts and potholes because the faithful ones who pay their dues can’t carry the entire responsibility themselves.

Unfortunately, some of the folks who are delinquent would pay if they could, but they can’t. That’s when the lien kicks in. It will be there when they sell their property, and the association will be able to collect what is legally owed from the proceeds of the sale. Once payment is made, the lien is canceled and becomes of no effect. There will be a collective sigh of relief in the neighborhood because potholes will be filled, and folks will be able to drive to their homes on a smoother surface.

There are parallels to life in this illustration. When we sin (and everyone has), in effect, Satan puts a lien on our lives. We would pay it if we could, but that’s impossible. We don’t have what it takes. So God, in the most generous act of grace ever, has made it possible to repent and ask Him for forgiveness. He steps in, and the blood of Jesus pays the debt. That lien is wiped right off the books. There is rejoicing in heaven, and we can also rejoice in our freedom because the debt we couldn’t pay has been canceled.

The analogy isn’t perfect, because we don’t have to sell anything before Jesus’ blood covers the debt. We don’t have anything to offer Him. Certain lines of the old hymn, Rock of Ages, come to mind:

“In my hand no price I bring; simply to Thy cross I cling…

Be of sin the double cure: save from wrath, and make me pure.”

“Father, what a beautiful picture of Your love and grace, more beautiful than we have the capacity to understand. Thank you for opening Your arms and inviting us to cling to the cross.”

 For His Glory

Cherie Harbridge Williams (www.cherieharbridgewilliams.com)
TRBC Women’s Life