The depth of our love for Jesus can be seen in our thanksgiving. The more we realize how much he has done for us, the greater our gratitude. All of our many sins were removed by his one sacrifice on the cross, and our love for him grows in direct proportion to what his death means to us personally.
Jesus tells the story of two men who owed money: one had a debt of more than a year's worth of daily wages, and the other a debt of only 50 days of wages. Neither one could repay the money so the lender removed both debts. Which one, Jesus asked Peter, would be more grateful? Which one will love the lender more? "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled," Peter replied (Luke 7:43).
How large is our debt to Jesus? We owe him for his life and ours, but we owe him for so much more. He has taken away our entire debt: the sins, large and small, that we can never repay. We could not even return all we are given in one day, let alone an entire life of 60.,70,80, or 90 years.
We do not need to add up all our debts, as if we are keeping score. All we need to do is to be more grateful when we remember his death for us. The more we think of him, the more we will love him.
Swaffield, Bruce C. Devotions for Life: New Ideas from Old Ways. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars, 2013 p. 108.
