The economy needs miracles

Two things I ran across yesterday are spinning in my head.

First, I ran across this link. Duquesne University Economics Professor Antony Davies compares the national debt to a household income.

Here's a video from that page:

Watch that. Listen twice to what he says at the end. If you take all of the debt, all of the unfunded promises that have been made in Social Security, Medicare, and so on... If you take all of that, and add it up, it outstrips the economic output of the entire planet.


That's right. Our government has promised to pay more money than exists, more money than can possibly exist. In the world.

Let that sink in.

When I learn this, I think: Ouch. We are screwed.

Now, on to the next thing. An old college "sister" of my wife is in Wisconsin taking part in the protests at the state capital. She posted that the state budget shouldn't be balanced on the backs of state workers. I asked whose back it should be balanced on. She replied, it shouldn't be balanced on anyone's back.

Now, back to the first post. We're in a hole, deep. And digging deeper.

Here are my thoughts, as they flow one to another:

• There is no way out of this economic mess without miracles. Big miracles. God-sized miracles. We are in a debt that we can't possibly pay.
• Christ came to this world to pay our debt of sin that we couldn't possibly pay. He paid for it with His life given on the cross. Hold that thought.
• Miracles require sacrifice. Christ didn't feed the multitudes without someone giving Him a few loaves and fishes. He didn't make wine without water. And again, He didn't pay off our debt of sin without giving His life.
• Christ made clear that the only sacrifice that is worth His blessing is personal, and with nothing at all held back. If we hold anything back, anything at all, we're like the young man in Matthew 19:16-22, who couldn't bring himself to give all to follow Christ.
• My job and the talents I exercise at my job are blessings from God. Yes, I work for a bank, but it's only by the grace of God that this bank has resources to pay me. I have a right to expect that my employer will live up to the promises that they have made to me. However, I have no rights before God. He has already given the life of His Son for me. What more would I demand? What more could I possibly ask?
• I ask, undeserving, that He hold to his promise to care for me and my family, whatever may happen to the bank, or to the state, or to the nation. My sacrifice is that I trust in Him, and use His gifts carefully.

Kyrie eleison!