The Payment Plan
Do you remember layaway? We use to use it at Walmart, usually for Christmas. My parents would pick out all of the items they wanted to give us for Christmas a few months before, put it on a payment plan (layaway), and once it was paid off, we could receive all the items (from Santa, of course) under the tree, wrapped beautifully with our names on them. Free to open and enjoy.
I had gotten a medical bill in the mail recently and decided to set up a payment plan. It was easy enough to do. They are always willing to work with you if you’re honest and at least trying to pay on it in some way.
As the “elevator” hold music on the phone was keeping me entertained while waiting for the billing customer service rep, God showed me something…
I think sometimes we think we are on a “payment plan” or a “layaway” situation with God. If we are good enough, “pay our debt” by having faith, being nice to people, following the Word, doing the right thing, being humble, not killing anyone, letting the bully over whilst having road rage, not cussing out your [ahem…wrong] spouse, etc, then the blessings will come. We’ll be good, and that will get us what we want, right? Isn’t how that works? Cause and effect? I do this, you do that? God?
Except, we are talking to the Alpha and Omega. He doesn’t do layaway or payment plans.
The truth about God and the reason He doesn’t do payment plans or blessing layaways, is because it’s all free for your use. Anytime.
The story about the prodigal son comes to mind. We all know the part about the boy that left and came back, great story. But I want to focus on the one that stayed. Ya know…the “good one”. The one that did the right things and always did what was asked of him (it sounds like). At the end, when he’s all mad at the dad for throwing the “bad” brother the party, the dad simply answers, “31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours…”
Luke 15:31
Just FYI, Heaven doesn’t have a billing department (I already tried them). He just has blessings that are free to all whom He decides to give to.
Sometimes we get mad seeing other people that seem “worse” than us, receiving more blessings. Like, I mean, we go to church and they don’t even go. Or, we moved that snail off the sidewalk the other day and I bet they like, throw trash out their window as they are driving…and yet, they seem to not have issues paying their bills or getting a new car or the promotion. What gives, God?! What kind of payment plan are they on because it seems to be working better than mine!
Here’s the rest of what the prodigal’s dad said to the “good” son…
32 “But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
In Luke 17:20-21 Jesus said, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst (or, within you).” The kingdom is of heaven is here with us now.
Coming to God doesn’t need to feel like you’re about to rack up the debt. Coming to God should feel more like Christmas morning. He already has everything wrapped beautifully with our names on them. Free to open and enjoy. Thank you, God. Praise be to Him.
Sending sunshine,
Stacey