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TITLE: PAID IN FULL | Previous Challenge Entry
By Melinda Melton
03/12/15
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PAID IN FULL

One night, I had an incredible dream that I will never forget. It was during a time in my life when I really questioned my salvation.

I constantly asked myself and God the following questions: How could God love me? Am I really saved? Are my sins really forgiven? I replayed all the sins in my lifetime that I could remember over and over. It was a neverending movie in my head.

Feeling particularly weighed down by this burden one night, I went to bed early and had this dream:

I sat at the desk, paying bills. Lying in front me was a ledger with many columns, rows and figures. Running my fingers through my hair, I clutched my head and wondered how I was going to get the money to pay these debts. Suddenly a drop of blood fell on the ledger, then another drop and another. I looked all around but couldn't see where the blood was coming from. Blood dripped everywhere around me. Next, rubber stamped in red, all over the ledger were the words, PAID IN FULL, PAID IN FULL, PAID IN FULL. End of dream.

I pondered this dream for a long while. One day I had an Aha! moment. It was shortly after I went on a church retreat and heard other peoples' heart wrenching stories about their life journeys and how through Jesus Christ they were able to overcome. On bended knee, I confessed my sins, asked for forgiveness and left my burdens at the foot of the cross. I worshipped the Lord, sang hymns and bonded with my new family in Christ. It felt like I really connected with God. I was on a spiritual high when I went back home, ready to share the good news! Gradually "real life" took over.

Work, stress and the busyness of life piled back on my shoulders and made my muscles feel like a tight rubber band ready to snap. I could feel the weight of it all. I wanted that peace and serenity back that I found on the retreat, the euphoria and joy, together with feeling light as a feather. It was my own fault. I neglected to begin my daily ritual of coffee with God.

I sat down in a quiet spot in my house with my Bible. I prayed my heart out to God and really tried to listen for his voice. All those old sins started creeping back on my mind. I thought about my childhood and remembered memorizing Bible verses. The very first one was John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Aha! How could God love me? He loves the world. Am I really saved? Yes! I confessed my sins and believed and accepted Jesus into my heart. Are my sins really forgiven? Yes! Jesus carried the burden of my sins on the cross. He was crucified for me. His blood was shed for me. My sins are paid in full.

Matthew 26:28 (KJV) For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Copyright 2015

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