When Payments on the Loan are Hard to Make

Today we start a new series of messages. We'll go through the rest of this month, and through September, thinking about "when payments on the loan are hard to make." These lives that we have on loan from God are not always easy. Sometimes it's downright hard. When I am a follower of Christ, there are times that my faith is a great blessing, and the assurance and evident resources ease the pain. And, very honestly, there are times when my faith invites some pressure that makes the pain more intense.

Hopefully, as we talk about these real-life issues in the family gathering of the church on Sunday, we will uncover some helpful answers, be reassured of the spiritual resources available to us, sympathize, redouble our commitments, and find real strength in the divine, and our human, fellowship.

"I'm scared," "I'm broke," "I hate this job," "I hurt like everything," "I'm outgunned," "It's a battlefield," and "I've got no place to go" are the pressures and pains that we want to talk about in the light of God's word. There's a good chance that one or two of these will get a vigorous "oh, yeah" from each of us. Today "I'm scared" will resonate with some of us right away; and there is another piece of the theme that we may not have thought about enough.