When I first read the title of the article, I thought to
myself, “I’d sure hate to pay that fine.” The title of the article is: “Library book returned after 110 years in
Idaho.”
110 years
overdue. How much was the fine? When the book – the “New Chronicles of
Rebecca” by Kate Douglas Wiggin – was last checked out of the public
library in 1911, in Boise, Idaho, the fine for overdue books was 2 cents
per day. “With a fine of two cents per day for 110 years, whoever
checked out this book would owe $803,” reported Boise’s Carnegie Public
Library in a social media announcement. The report continued: “Thank
goodness the Boise Public Libraries are now fine free!”
The book by Wiggin was a sequel to her first fictional
novel “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.” Both books were published in the
early 20th century (1903 and 1907) and followed the life of Rebecca
Rowena Randall, who grows up in rural Maine.
The person who returned the book has not yet identified
himself or herself. But the library is overjoyed to have received the
old book. *
Our sins put us in debt to God (cf. Matthew 6:12). The
“fine” (penalty) for our sins is overdue: “for the wages of sin is
death” (Romans 6:23).
Our “fine” cannot just be dismissed. The penalty must be
paid; justice demands it.
God loves us and desires to save us. But the “fine” must
be paid. None of us has the resources to pay the fine for our sins.
So, God paid the fine for us. That is grace – glorious grace.
“For He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin
for us, that we [you and me] might become the righteousness of God in
Him.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21
“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”
Christ Jesus paid
the debt that I could never pay.”
God will pay the debt of sin and give eternal life to
those who place their faith
and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in
repentance (Acts 17:30-31),
confess
Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). The
blood that Jesus shed for our sins will continue to cleanse from sin
those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).
My sin has
incurred an incredible debt before God. I can’t afford to pay it.
Thank God, I don’t have to. Jesus paid the debt for my sin with His own
blood. He will pay yours, too, if you will only submit your life to
Him.
Won’t YOU?
-- David A.
Sargent
*
Information gleaned from “Library book returned after 110 years in
Idaho” by Cortney Moore of Fox News,
www.foxnews.com.
