October 29 (Romans 4:7-8)
“Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sins are put out of sight.
Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has
cleared of sin.” (NLT)
Do
you get that you are supposed to die? Do
you get it that all of the nice things you do for people do not amount to
squat? Friends, in the eyes of God, you
and I deserve to die, and we don’t even have the right to be offended by
that. God does. He created us to be the crowning glory of all
His creations, but WE turned on HIM. If
anyone has a right to be angry at the state of human affairs, it is God. That realization should put us in a pretty
humble position.
But oh, what joy for those whose disobedience has been
forgiven! What joy for those whose sins
have been put out of sight! Do you also
realize that the blood of Jesus has washed you so thoroughly of your sins and
disobedience that God Himself does not see them anymore? He looks at you and sees the glorious
creature He intended.
King David originally wrote those words in Psalm 32:1-2, but
Paul quoted them in his letter to the Romans.
David had some sense of God’s forgiveness, but after the death, burial,
and resurrection of Jesus, we have a greater understanding of the work of God’s
grace. Friends, take some time to let
that sink in. You deserve to die and be
eternally separated from God, but that will not happen thanks to the work of
Jesus Christ.
Lord, what a gracious and amazing gift You have given
us! Thank You for the blood of Jesus and
what it brings, for the words of Scripture and Your servants that have taught
me of Your forgiveness, and for the grace that has allowed me to accept it so
that the Holy Spirit might dwell within me.
All praise and glory be to You, my Lord and my God! Amen.
Copyright © 2017 by Steven R. Perkins
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