God tells us "the borrower is slave to the lender" as a picture of indebtedness. He knew the status of man and established economic policies for young Israel. Debts were cancelled and lands returned at specific times. Debt can come from natural events such as medical or selfish from ourselves. Whatever the way, it is a form of slavery. Imagine you paycheck is partially spent even before it is in your hands. Therefore you are not workiing for yourself but for the lender as a form of indentured servant. You serve at his pleasure until the weight of debt is removed. Even if you leave one job for another, the lender follows you where you go.
Churches saddle themselves with debt and lose the opportunity to help others. I served a church for five years with a debt which was nearly ten percent of their annual giving. Imagine the ministry we could have done with this removed from our backs. Nations, including this country, find themselves in debt. In the time of the Old Testament, one form of punishment was to pay tribute and taxes to Gentile rulers. They still owed the taxes and tithes to God, but now they were twice burden due to their own sinfulness.
From the sixties when we have removed God from school and the courthouse, our SOCIAL programs have taxed us to death. We give tax breaks to some and tax others. Our nation is crumbling financially but this is the result of spiritual crumbling. One will not be fixed till we have repented our sins. It is the love of money and not money itself which has replaced God--we want it all. So, bring out the charge card or head to the bank to get the loan and buy it. They will not solve the hole in the heart. Only God can.
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