What He Owes Me

I'm not sure where it comes from, but I've got this expectation planted way down in my heart that God is going to make me comfortable and fix all of my problems. If I'm really honest I don't only think He will but that He should!

I certainly don't get that from the Bible. He does promise to be with me and provide for me and care for me. But He says also that in this world you will have heartache and pain and will not be understand by the culture you are in. This world is simply not my home!

If I don't keep a close watch on my heart it will deceive me. If I'm not careful, and without even realizing it, I start to think that He owes me. He owes me because my life is hard...He owes me because I have been obedient....He owes me because I spoke to my neighbor yesterday about Him....because I'm better than most people around me....because I tithe...because......

When I get in that place, I have this image in my mind that I pull up. If you've never read the book The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, you need to. If you've read it, read it again! Everytime I read it I get something new from it.

Corrie and her family were in Holland during the Holocaust and paid a high price for hiding Jewish people in their home. Her father lived a life of loving and caring for people. Before he hid Jews, he took in foster children. He was the patriarch of his quaint village in Holland. He was very respected and admired.

The image from that book that comes to my mind is when he died. After being arrested for saving Jews from concentration camps, he died sitting along in the corner of a hospital hallway and was buried in an unmarked grave.

I picture that and I remember that God owes me nothing more than that! Mr. Ten Boom's reward for a life of serving and sacrificing and loving God was not on this side of heaven.

All that we do is actually in response to what He already did for us. He gave more than I could ever give. He secured salvation and freedom and eternity for me. How could my heart ever cause me to be bitter towards or even disappointed with so great a Savior?

He owes me nothing...but gives me everything!