Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – March 14, 2015
Guest Writer: Meet my son-in-law Tripp Prince. We are blessed to have him write our Lenten devotionals for seven consecutive Saturdays. Today’s is the 4th. Thank the Lord for you, Tripp!
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world. Ephesians 2:1-2
One of the hardest parts of the Christian life is to admit we are wrong, broken, or needy. This is especially difficult when our culture tells us to “just be true to ourselves” or “find our beauty within.” When we believe this message, the Biblical message of confession and self-denial becomes hard to hear and even harder to live out.
When it comes to our need for God, the Bible doesn’t deal in shades of grey. Left to our own devices, we are helplessly broken, eternally trapped in a life of self-love and self-satisfaction. It is a life that leads to death, and it is the painful predisposition of every fallen human being, without exception.
Accepting our brokenness is the first step towards embracing God’s mercy and forgiveness.
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:4-5).
The beauty of the gospel is that God loves us and accepts us, even when we are unlovable and unacceptable. God is in the business of bringing dead things to life! This is the heart of the Christian faith and it is wonderful beyond all measure. Yet we reject this beautiful mystery when we deny our own neediness and brokenness.
Jesus accepts us just as we are, but because he is good, kind, and rich in mercy, he refuses to leave us just as we are.
This is the subtle but significant difference between cultural spirituality and true Christianity. One says we are healthy and flourishing “just as we are” and God simply exists to give us a form of divine affirmation. The other says our souls are sick with a deep cancer that we cannot cure, yet God is the faithful doctor who welcomes us in our sickness and freely administers the remedy we so desperately need.
We are sick and in need of the Great Physician’s healing touch- may we never deny this reality but instead rush to check ourselves into His hospital!
“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” (Matthew 9:12).
Prayer: Father, as we remember our brokenness and need, may we at the same time always be reminded of Your unceasing love and mercy.
Related Readings: Proverbs 3:7-8; Jeremiah 33:6; Malachi 4:2; Luke 9:11; John 12:40; 1 Peter 5:10
Post/Tweet this today: Jesus accepts us just as we are, but because He is good, kind, and rich in mercy, He refuses to leave us just as we are. #sicknesstohealth #wisdomhunters
Additional Resource: 4 minute video- Jeremy Camp: Healing Hand of God
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Thanks for cutting through the world’s minutiae that at times we fall prey to when we don’t remain in the Word of the Lord. The.god of self is a seducing siren,but is no match for the Spirit of the living God that lives inside of us!!
Dear Trinetta~
Thank you for your encouraging words. You stated in beautifully when you said “The god of self is a seducing siren, but it no match for the Spirit of the living God that lives inside of us!”. AMEN and AMEN. This devotional was such a reminder of how “sick we are” and how much we do need our Great Physician.
We are so thankful for you, Trineeta, and look forward to hearing from you again.
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land, where there is no water.”
Psalm 63:1