What does it feel like to have all of your debts completely paid for?  What thoughts would go through your mind if you never felt the burden of finances again?  This week I got a little taste of heaven as I watched God free a precious girl from her burdens…

It was after dinner when Simone began her story.  I did not notice her much through the meal – she was a quiet girl, content to sit in the background while other people carried on the conversation.  It was only after the meal was over that I began to think that God had a bigger purpose for this quiet, beautiful young girl.  Simone, a 15-year-old girl, began telling us the story of her life with such honesty that I began feeling the emotions as she expressed them.  Simone is an orphan whose parents died when she was young.  Her aunt took her in, but did not have very much to help take care of Simone.  She lived her childhood with barely a full stomach, and always on faith for school fees.  Simone ended up being brought to church, and it was there that she first heard the Gospel. She quickly received and fell in love with Jesus.  She is very active in church and in her youth group.  However, at home she was constantly battling the enemy.  Her uncle is a witchdoctor, and would constantly try to curse her.  Though Simone is a Christian, I could see the fear in her eyes as she remembered evil spirits tormenting her at night.  I asked her what her burdens are and she shared about fear from her uncle and the struggle to get her school fees paid for.  She shared with me her dream of becoming a lawyer, but her doubt that she could do it because of finances.  I found out later that her school costs the equivalent of $135 for an entire year of high school.  One hundred and thirty-five dollars is the only thing that is standing between this precious girl and her dream.

The next day, our team prayed and pooled our resources and decided that we would pay for Simone’s school this year.  So Martha and I hopped on motorcycles to the girls’ school about 30 minutes away.  I then watched a quiet, small girl blossom right in front of me.  It was like a huge rock had been lifted off of her.  I watched as Simone jumped up and down and smiled bigger than her face could hold.  She was elated.  Words cannot express the joy that was in the room at that moment.

It was then that I began thinking about the situation from an eternal perspective.  It was almost like I could see God doing the same thing for us.  As sinners, we deserve nothing at all.  Our sins compile debts that we could never repay.  We were suffering and dying under the weight of it all.  Then Jesus came and completely paid our debts in full.  Now we get to live in freedom, free from that bondage and burden.  Praise God that our debts are paid in full!

And the best part is, that God removed our debts, not because of any merit of our own, but because he loves us that much.  My team was overwhelmed with love for Simone after meeting her just once.  We knew we had to do something to help her.  How much more so does God love us and want to give good gifts to his children!!  Best of all, he paid a debt that he did not owe, so we could be free – We are paid in full.