Bad Debts

TITLE: Bad Debts
DATE: January 10, 2019
TEXT: Isaiah 53:2-12  - - For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. ...

Here, my friends, is the bad news:

• More than 43 million Americans have about $75 billion in past-due medical debt on their credit reports.
• It is estimated that there is a total of $1 trillion in reported and unreported, unpaid medical debt. On an individual level, that kind of debt can be crippling, depressing and destructive to people, families and, friends.
• Left to our own devices, paying off this kind of debt can seem to stretch out into the future with little hope of reduction or satisfaction.
• When you fail to pay your Physician your debt can be sold, for pennies-on-the dollar to some professional debt collectors .
• When your debt falls into the hands of the collectors, things can get interesting as various subtle, and not-so-subtle, pressures be brought against you.

Here my friends is the good news.

You know, this is where the Long Ranger, Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers or Gene Autry are supposed come riding up and offer their services. This is when Superman and Iron Man are supposed to stroll in and ask if they might  provide any assistance.

Well, instead of the Lone Ranger and Ironman,. the heroes on duty are the folks from RIP Medical Debt out of Rye, New York.. What RIP does is this:

1. They buy up bad medical bills, just like a debt collector does.
2. They accept all kinds of donations from folk who wish to help pay off the debts of others.
3. RIP sends out a letter to these folk who can’t pay their debt letting them know their obligations have been made right. No questions asked.

In the four years RIP has been in existence, it has erased more than 475 million dollars of debt for more than 250,000 people. Right now RIP is trying to raise $50,000 to buy $50 million in medical debts owed by veterans. We wish them well.
You may have noticed, as I shared the story of RIP, that there were many similarities between the work that they are doing and what our Savior accomplished. Just two of those similarities would be:

• The good deeds they are doing is a gracious act for others.
• They are paying off debts that cannot be paid by those who owed them.

There is, however, one, very great difference between Jesus and RIP. The folks at RIP are using money to pay off the earthly , temporal debts of others. On the other hand Jesus is paying off the spiritual debts of the entire  world. This He s doing, not with gold or silver, but with His holy precious blood and His innocent suffering and death.

This He has done so we might be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness’s innocence and blessedness.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, even the smallest of sins have me owing a debt I cannot pay. Grant that I may appreciate the Savior Who sacrificed Himself to win my forgiveness and grant me the gift of eternal life. In His Name I ask it. Amen. .

Today’s devotion was inspired by various articles, amongst which is the one carried by Mary Eschfor the AP on December 26,2018. Those who wish may check out this link which was, at the time of writing, fully active: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/good-news/secret-santas-charity-buys-and-erases-past-due-medical-debt/ar-BBRqVAC

The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann, one of my long-ago confirmands. He is singing with three brothers. This song comes from the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html