September Devotional Thought

God's Word:
“For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13 (NASB)


Devotional Thought:

9:30 am on a cold Sabbath morning, north of the fifty-fifth parallel, I am looking out a church window facing east. Along the outside wall of the next building cluttered with trash on the ground, huddled eight men sharing a bottle containing a liquid I am sure was not orange juice.

What was most interesting to me was how the empty mickey was disposed. The last guy stepped away from the group and tossed the bottle into a near-by stand of trees. Had the bottle been dropped outside the circle of friends, the environment around the guys would not have changed much for the worse. However, the method of disposal was to toss the empty container away from the group as if to say, “We are not associated with this litter.”


It is easy to make pious judgments on this team of eight while standing inside a nice warm well-kept place of worship on a Sunday morning. It is also easy to have feelings of guilt, thinking as a Christian I have somehow failed to reach these comrades with the Gospel. However, in my heart I realize I too am nothing more than a sinner symbolically lurking behind a building and yet in eyesight of the creator God, trying to toss any evidence of my connection with sin as far as I am able.

A wonderful attribute of God is He doesn’t just stand and watch our sin with disgust. He has taken action by reaching out to us in love and compassion. Our Creator entered into our lives even when we were not looking for His help. Our hiding from God is fruitless. He comes seeking us as He did Adam and Eve. He sees our sins, He calls our name, He reaches out to us with the blood-stained hands of Jesus. In love He declares our sins are forgiven.

Privileged with the knowledge of God’s grace and mercy, one can only ask for His forgiveness. In humility, our hearts turn to thanksgiving and gratitude to our Creator for His love, poured out on us through the blood of Jesus. “If it is possible,” we pray, “Lord, make my heart be as Yours.”


Prayer:

Forgive my sin O Lord and help me to be the person you called me to be. Empower me to serve You with Joy.