He paid a debt He did not owe; I owed a debt I could not pay,
I needed Someone to wash my sins away.
And now I sing a brand new song: Amazing Grace all day long.
Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay!

John Piper said, “The wisdom of God devised a way for the love of God to deliver sinners from the wrath of God while not compromising the righteousness of God.”  I owed a debt to God because of my sin.  God had be true to Himself – He is just.  There was only one way justice and love could meet – a sacrifice had to made. My sin debt had to be paid. So God demonstrated His love toward me by this:  His Son, Jesus Christ died in my place. He suffered because of my sin.

When faced with the reality and brutality of the cross, I stand amazed.  The reality – He bore MY ugly sin.  The brutality – He suffered the worst kind of physical pain in MY place. He took my sin and my sorrows and made them His very own.  He bore the burden to Calvary, and suffered and died alone.  How marvelous! How wonderful is my Savior’s love for me!  The CROSS OF CHRIST – it’s the place where my debt was paid.  My sin debt. 

Even as I ponder this, I am aware of how heavy debt can feel.  Some live in fear and constant anxiety over debt.  Financial debt can be overwhleming.  Personal debt can become a burden too. We sometimes feel we owe someone something for a deed they’ve done for us.  When we see them, we’re reminded that we should pay them back in some tangible way.  Debt can be a burden.

But what about my sin debt? It’s so very big that I can’t pay it … EVER!  How is it possible that the Creator of the universe, the God of everything, the King of all kings would choose to die for me and pay the debt I owed?! Amazing love how can it be that You my King would die for me?  I am sad to say that I don’t think about it enough.  I don’t dwell on it enough.  I don’t speak of it enough.  Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all!  One author writes: “The message of the cross is the message of liberating freedom to be all that God intends for us to be by His grace, in the out-living of His character.” 

If someone paid all my debts for me, how would I feel?  And what if the debts were actually all owed to them? And they chose to forgive them for no other reason but out of love?  What if I had been hurtful toward them and mistreated them and they still forgave my debt?  What if they released me from the burden of the debt and released me from the guilt of the unkindnesses toward them?  Could I keep silent about such grace? CAN I keep silent about such grace? Can I ever say enough? How amazing is Your love! 
And it’s free… and it’s for all who will come!

The cross upon which Jesus died is a shelter in which we can hide.
And its grace so free is sufficient for me; deep is its fountain, as wide as the sea!
There’s room at the cross for you.  There’s room at the cross for you.
Though many have come, there’s still room for one.
YES, there’s room at the cross for you.

Oh the wonderful cross.
May I always stand amazed. 
May I cherish the old rugged cross until my trophies at last I lay down. May I cling to the old rugged cross, (until) I exchange it one day for a crown.