Assurance and Insurance

[Maryanne Winder Lester]

Assurance and Insurance

This morning I woke up with one word on my mind and that word was “Insurance.” I thought this was odd that I would think of this word, of all the hundreds of thousands of words in my vocabulary. But, it wasn’t extremely odd, because I began my working career in the Insurance industry. But, it wasn’t a fleeting thought either, it remained with me and I couldn’t get it out of my head. So, I began to ask for understanding and The Holy Spirit made it clear that I was to use this word in my morning writing.

Here is a definition of Insurance that I found this morning, “A promise of compensation for specific future losses in exchange for payment up front.” People pay premiums, sometimes extravagant amounts to cover their lives, their medical expenses, their ability to work, their cars and their homes. Of all these types of insurance, only one event is guaranteed to happen. We all will die. The rest of these insurances cover events that “might” happen. Without a doubt, we cannot see into the future to know when or if we may ever suffer a loss for which we would need insurance coverage. But when we pay our expensive premiums, we can rest with assurance that we will receive financial compensation for these losses. Having insurance to cover these “maybe” losses lets us sleep better at night. When we do not have insurance, we feel unprotected. And this causes anxiety about the unknown future because we are not covered. Personally, the only worldly insurance I have at this time is auto insurance because it is required by law. Oh, and I collect Unemployment Insurance benefits because I do not have a paying job at this time. I can’t afford premiums for anything else. When I lost my job, I lost my life insurance, my medical/dental insurance and my disability insurance. So, now I have no financial coverage for any of these events that “might” happen. I worried about the future and all of the “what ifs.”

Look at that definition again, “A promise for specific future losses in exchange for payment up front.” And, here’s another one, “Coverage by contract whereby one party undertakes to guarantee another against loss by a specific peril.” And, one more, “A covenant to indemnify loss.” By now, I am sure you all know where I am going with this!

Paul talks about Home Owners Insurance in 2 Corinthians, 5:1. “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” Our Merciful Father speaks again through James about Medical Insurance in James 5:14-16. “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” And concerning disability insurance Jesus speaks directly in Matthew 11:28. “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Now, I will get to the final insurance, Life Insurance. Let’s look at this Scripture. Paul writes in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” I have all the Life Insurance I need through the Blessed Assurance of Jesus Christ. I know that my earthly body will die. But, I also know that I have been given everlasting life through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ paid the premium for my everlasting life, up front, before I was born, with His blood on the cross at Calvary. That premium was His own death and resurrection. There was a contract involved. For my faith and belief and repentance, my everlasting life is guaranteed. This is the Covenant of blood and the Blessed Assurance of Salvation through Jesus Christ. And it is the greatest gift of insurance that could ever be given.

Pray this prayer with me today:

Blessed Father in heaven,

Thank you for Your gift of insurance for everlasting life, paid for by the blood of Your only Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you also, for the assurance that my home, my health and my labors have been covered through Your mercy. I praise Your Holy Name for all the gifts that you give me. I am honored to be Your faithful servant.

In the matchless name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, I pray.

Amen.

Maryanne Winder Lester

4/12/2010