Our Sin, God's Love - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 59:7-8,

"Their feet rush into sin;
they are swift to shed innocent blood.
They pursue evil schemes;
acts of violence mark their ways.
The way of peace they do not know;
there is no justice in their paths.
They have turned them into crooked roads;
no one who walks along them will know peace."

This observation is made of the people of Israel. It highlights their
sinful condition which has brought an estrangement, a distance between
them and the Lord, "your iniquities have separated you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear."
Verse 2.

Verses 7 and 8 are quoted by Paul in Romans 3:17, where he observes
the sinful condition of all mankind. The whole passage, verses 10-18
reads,
"'There is no one righteous, not even one;
there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.'
'Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit.'
'The poison of vipers is on their lips.'
'Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.'
'Their feet are swift to shed blood;
ruin and misery mark their ways,
and the way of peace they do not know.'
'There is no fear of God before their eyes.'"

Both Psalms and Isaiah are quoted in Paul's observation of the sinful
condition of man. As you read the litany of indictments, it is amazing
to think that the Lord's intent is to redeem us from our sins. He
loves us and wants us in spite of our ugly nature!

Here is the amazing thing about God. He loves us with an unfathomable
love! In spite of our ugly condition, he reaches out to each one of us
and offers us a place in his kingdom, a place at his table! How is
that possible?! It is all just incomprehensible to me.

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!

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