The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Lamentations 5:15-16,
"Joy is gone from our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning. The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!"
Here is the inevitable result of sin. Although sin may appear alluring, desirable, and even intoxicating, it not only loses its luster, but turns to bitterness in our souls. Through sin we can loose what we might have had. Through sin what enticed us turns against us. Through sin life looses its fullness, satisfaction and even its purpose for us. Through sin honor turns to dishonor, respect turns to disrespect, admiration turns to disgust. Through sin our integrity is lost.
Those of us who are honest with ourselves know and admit we have sinned. All have sinned, everybody. As a result, all of us deserve God's condemnation and judgment, just as the inhabitants of Jerusalem experienced. We may not feel the immediate consequences of our sin, but we all certainly will when we all stand before God's throne of judgment following this life, except...
Except for those of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith. God determined before the creation of the world that all of us who would embrace him in faith would be "holy and blameless in his sight.", Ephesians 1:4, in spite of our sin! Those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ are blessed "in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." Ephesians 1:3, in spite of our sin! We have had our sins payed for by the death of Jesus Christ on that miserable cross and have been forgiven of them all - all this, in spite of our sin!
"Joy is gone from our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning. The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!"
Here is the inevitable result of sin. Although sin may appear alluring, desirable, and even intoxicating, it not only loses its luster, but turns to bitterness in our souls. Through sin we can loose what we might have had. Through sin what enticed us turns against us. Through sin life looses its fullness, satisfaction and even its purpose for us. Through sin honor turns to dishonor, respect turns to disrespect, admiration turns to disgust. Through sin our integrity is lost.
Those of us who are honest with ourselves know and admit we have sinned. All have sinned, everybody. As a result, all of us deserve God's condemnation and judgment, just as the inhabitants of Jerusalem experienced. We may not feel the immediate consequences of our sin, but we all certainly will when we all stand before God's throne of judgment following this life, except...
Except for those of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith. God determined before the creation of the world that all of us who would embrace him in faith would be "holy and blameless in his sight.", Ephesians 1:4, in spite of our sin! Those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ are blessed "in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." Ephesians 1:3, in spite of our sin! We have had our sins payed for by the death of Jesus Christ on that miserable cross and have been forgiven of them all - all this, in spite of our sin!
Although we have all sinned, those who respond to his invitation have had God lavish the riches of his grace upon all who have trusted in him, as he has predestined us for adoption as his sons and daughters, Ephesians 1:5.
What an opportunity!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment