Paying Bill

 

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t happens every month, just like clockwork. I open the mailbox and find that the mailman has left me a thick stack of envelopes from my favorite friend whose name just happens to be, you guessed it, Bill.  What amazes me about Bill is the number of addresses he has and the fact that he is always short on cash.  He regularly asks for money and the amounts differ from month to month. 

 

But being the conscientious person that I am and not wanting Bill to go hungry, I sit down, open all his wonderful letters to me, pull out my pen and checkbook, and send Bill his money so both he and I can survive for another month.  Never mind the fact that Bill leaves me woefully low on funds every thirty days, at least he is happy and doesn’t bother me until the first day of the following month. 

 

Now Bill is not a true person.  Instead, Bill represents all the monthly obligations I attend to so I can live in my house, drive my car, eat, have hot water, etc.  All of us are very familiar with Bill and we write to him, whether we want to or not, on regular basis. 

 

This past month, as I completed my last letter to Bill and looked at my checking balance, I felt just a little down.  I work all month to earn my salary and in a matter of a few minutes, it was almost gone.  I’m sure you all can identify with me on this one.  But just as I was putting away my checkbook, the words of Jesus from Matthew’s gospel came to my mind. 

 

In Matthew 6:25-27, Jesus reminds us, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?  Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?  Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” 

 

This really put things into perspective for me.  God provides all I need, even the money to pay Bill.  I can pay Bill because God has provided me with a job. He makes it possible for me to have a place to live, food on my table, clothes on my back, and a warm place to sleep.  He makes sure I have friends, and He takes time each second to make sure my heart keeps beating and my lungs take in air.  He even counts the number of hairs on my head. 

 

So, the next time you pay Bill, and it may be today, remember you can do so because God cares for and looks after you.  He paid the ultimate bill so that we could belong to Him.