In Full

“…like streams of water in the desert…” ~Isaiah 32:2

And I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, Who calls you by your name. ~Isaiah 45:3

I’d like to sing a simple song of love to my Jesus, about my Savior. How He held me in His arms, even when I was unaware.

Sometime in 2008 the Lord spoke to me, “Sweetheart, you’re going to be completely debt free by the end of this year.” My eyebrows rose, along with my doubt and fear.

You see, I had gall bladder surgery and between that and a ton of pre-op procedures, my bills were excessive. So much so that I was still paying on them five years later.

I also had incurred three credit card debts. Even if I scrimped on everything, didn’t eat, and walked everywhere (not buying gas), there was not enough money left over each month to pay off my hospital and credit card bills by the end of the year.

The months went by and I chiseled away bit by bit, paying off two cards, but still having my hospital bill and one card looming over me. The end of the year was fast approaching, and thankfully my last car payment was in October. But even with that additional money for the months of November and December, I wouldn’t have enough to totally pay off my debt, unless God intervened…

And intervened He did! My car loan was through a credit union and set up to automatically withdraw from my checking account from another bank twice a month. So come November, I only had a small amount left to pay at the beginning of the month and then I’d be paid in full. Much to my surprise, the regular full payment came out, not the little bit remaining on my balance!

Disappointed, thinking I had mistaken how much I owed, I called the credit union. “Could you please tell me my balance owed on my car payment?” The credit union confirmed I was paid in full. They were baffled as to why they had withdrawn so much money from my checking account. While looking into it, the teller asked if I wanted to know my balance in my savings account. I had opened a savings account with $25 in order to get my car loan, but have never made another deposit, so I assumed with interest I may have $30.

Oh was I wrong! There was more than enough money in my savings account to pay off my massive hospital bill!! How could this be??? I had never ever deposited more than the original $25! The next day I went into the credit union to transfer my savings money to my checking account to pay my hospital bill. The teller asked how much I wanted to take out and I asked my balance once more. Y’all, it was even more than I was told the previous day!!

No one behind the counter or in the entire loan department could figure out where this money had come from. There was no record of me making a deposit…ever. They said it just had always been there as far as they knew. Wow! The Lord tells us He has treasures in darkness. Mysteries that only He can reveal! Truly, this was one of them.

Flabbergasted, I went to work later that day only to be handed a bonus check. Do you know how much it was for? The exact amount I needed to pay off my credit card!!!

As I called the hospital to pay my bill in full, I was surprised once again! The sweet lady whom I’ve paid for the past five years told me my balance and it was much less than I had thought! I asked her if she was certain, and of course she was! She’d been deducting my payments herself all this time! And sure enough, the same was true of my credit card bill as well! I owed less than I thought! Y’all, when the lady at Visa told me I was paid in full, I burst into tears. The simple love of Jesus, His fulfilled promises, the deep streams in the desert I waded in, were all too much for my heart. I was truly overwhelmed by the goodness of God. He fulfilled His promise of me being debt-free by the end of the year. I paid off my debt in December of 2008.

One last sweet thing. Gifts is my number one love language. Wanting to be diligent paying my bills, I anticipated not being able to spend money on Christmas presents last year. However, with the Lord providing for my hospital and credit card bill, I had money to buy presents for my family and friends! What a gift to me from God Almighty!! I pray you hear the promises of the Lord for you this year and remember that He has secret storehouses reserved just for you...treasures hidden in darkness that are yours from your Good Provider.

Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise… ~ Daniel 2:20-23