We’ve all been there. You forget to write down a payment or a check and the next thing you know…Bam! Your bank account is overdrawn and when you look at your account online you see that dreaded Overdraft symbol. It has happened to me too. I can still remember a couple months after I had opened my first checking account. I was 18 years old and a senior in high school. My checking account was overdrawn, and I didn’t understand why. My stepdad, Darrell, asked me if I had balanced my checkbook. Balanced? What does that mean? I can still remember him sitting at the dining room table with me for the next couple hours, going over my checkbook and reconciling what I thought I had in the bank, with the reality of what my balance really was. That was a lesson I did not forget!

The bible talks about reconciling in Colossians 1:21-22, “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.” Paul is telling us in no uncertain terms—we cannot balance our accounts with God. We are so far in the negative that nothing we can do will ever square the debt. We can’t work enough, be good enough, be generous enough…nothing WE can do will ever tip the scale and clear the debt we have with God Almighty. Our only hope is in Jesus.

I’m sure you have seen the commercial where the online bank offers to “spot” you when you don’t have money to cover your purchases. What Jesus did at the cross is the ultimate example of coverage.

• But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
• This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:9-10)
• But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace that you have been saved.  (Ephesians 2:4-5)

Can you see it? The love of God poured out for you! God reaching out through eternity to save you! Our God is so great that He couldn’t bare being separated from His precious children. Because of His great love, Jesus took our penalty—He took the wrath of God’s righteous anger on Himself and bore that pain on the cross. Our sin—past, present, and future—were nailed to the cross, covered in His blood. Then after three days of darkness—Christ arose from the grave—conquering sin and death! He cleared the books. He balanced the scales! He erased the red NSF that was written in your account with God, guaranteeing your eternity. All you have to do now is accept His gift.

Look at all the religions in the world—what do they all have in common? Works! Buddhists believe that life is one of suffering and that by meditating, spiritual and physical labor, as well as good behavior, are the ways to achieve enlightenment or nirvana. Hindus believe in the cycle of life, death, and reincarnation. You continue life after life, working towards perfection. Muslims believe that if your good deeds outweigh your bad, you will be rewarded with a place in Paradise. However, there is no way to know until your death. All of this sounds exhausting and also quite frightening. Life is hard enough without having to live it hundreds or thousands of times. I also find a lot of encouragement knowing that my eternal fate is not in my own hands, but actually in the hands of the all-powerful God. He chose me! He died for me! He saved me! It is not of my works—not of my behavior—not of my intentions—not of anything I can put into my “eternal bank account” and save up. Each time I mess up, my account would be deducted—all good deeds subtracted by my bad behavior. Isn’t there a more peaceful way to live? All you have to do is accept the invitation that the Father God, the one who created you, is offering. He has a place for you in His family. He will carry your burden—all you have to do is follow Him. Won’t you accept His coverage today?