Isn’t it Over?
Perhaps you are thinking what I’m thinking these days. Haven’t we recovered from this recession yet? Certainly we could have figured out a way to come out from under this economic weight! Someone lighten the load! Unfortunately the load isn’t lightening all that quickly. Many of us are struggling with employment, putting food on the table, paying the bills and paying off our debts. According to our Financial Foundations 4 Life leaders, things would be a whole lot better if we could just get rid of that debt! Alas. There is no magic pill or special prayer that suddenly relieves us of our financial responsibilities. Slow and steady.
Debt Avoided
Right about the time our economy started to crumble in 2008 we made a decision as a congregation to take a different approach to the special projects that required additional funding. We would do it the old fashioned way. We would raise the money first. That meant that we couldn’t just get a loan and hope we paid off the debt. We had to wait, raise the money and then enjoy the benefit of having the project done without paying interest on the money! Well, we’ve fully funded a number of projects now and have a few more that are steadily moving toward full funding. What a blessing that we have been able to function without taking on more debt these last few years! Praise God!
Debt Discussed
Starting on August 10th we’ll have the next session of our Financial Foundations 4 Life led by members of Bethel Lutheran Church. This is a 4-week discussion group centered on personal finances and designed to give you the knowledge and strategies to handle your finances better. What’s amazing about this group is that it’s not just somebody lecturing you about finances and making you feel all guilty. This is a group where you can share freely and openly along with others who are doing the same. Trust me, you’re not the only one in debt! This is a great group for teens and those who are just starting out in the real world. It’s also great if things have gotten out of hand financially or have just become tight recently. It’s never too late to build Financial Foundations 4 Life!
Debt Paid
The most important foundation has been laid for us by the one who paid our debt for us. Ever since the sweetness of that fateful piece of fruit touched the lips of Adam and Eve, we’ve been racking up the debt. Everything that we think, say and do that’s off from God’s perfect plan is like swiping the credit card. It needs to be paid back! And trust me, you don’t want collections to come after you! The penalty is death! But God loved us so much he sent his son Jesus to pay that debt for us. Jesus took the sins of all people of all times and placed them on himself just as if he had done them and then took the penalty for us. Collections came after him… big-time. He died for us, paid our debt and then rose again 3 days later to show us that we can live forever… debt free.
Blessings,
Pastor Seabaugh