Thoughts for another day

November 19, 2008.

Today's verse: 2 Thess. 3:3. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

To understand this verse, let’s go back to Ecc. 9:3, ‘the heart of the sons of men is full of evil!’ Paul says (Rom. 3:23) ‘all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God!’ Having got that, I must hold this for myself accepting that I sin. Though pained by sin, I yet sin. And I don’t know what to do, for on one hand I hate to sin and on the other, I willfully go and commit the most outrageous sins. Who will rescue me from my dilemma?

Because of Adam’s error whereby our nature imbibed sin, we will sin. By the way, lest some of you ‘proper’ people amongst the readers of this reflection say you don’t, even thinking bad about someone or laziness or bargaining to get a better price from a poor vendor and such like things are sin before God. I’m not giving an amazing revelation but only focusing on the need for God’s work in our lives; by which our sins, first of all, will be forgiven and then, we will be filled with His Grace to drive the devil out of our lives.

You know as a Christian, my heart aches with the burden of sin. Honestly, sometimes before the presence of the glory of God, I yearn for mercy. God, I run toward the mercy seat and beg for mercy. Mercy for me and for the world - this people who He has created and filled the world with and who don’t now their left hand from their right! Where O God, is the cave where I can go hide and sin no more? Where are the people with whom I may be and remain perfect as my Heavenly Father is perfect? To my dismay, all I hear is silence. And I know I need to live in this same world and I need to live with frail, error prone people, like me.

And then, He tells me: ‘My Grace is sufficient for you and again when I desperately seek a solution in His Word He says, ‘I am faithful and will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one’. And I tell my soul, ‘be lifted up and rejoice for no matter what your error or your leaning, your Owner is going to wash you clean and keep you shining.’ I am delighted, in God my Savior.