Devotions – 2015.07.20

Devotions – 2015.07.20

The wages that sin pays are death, but God’s gift is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6, 23

I saw a righteous man, a family man who cared for his family and never did something wrong. But he died very early. Then I saw an unjust, a terrible person. He lied and cheated his fellow men, and only thought of his own fun. But he lived long and got very old. Is that fair, I wondered?
We can not understand God’s justice, if we keep our worldly perspective and pretend as if the whole life here on the earth were limited. The universe is infinite, but compared to the sky it’s tiny! We need to expand our thinking of the heavenly perspective, otherwise we can never understand God.
As someone had an accident, a woman said: This is the punishment for something he has done! And we ourselves are often wondering what we have done wrong, when a misfortune befalls us.
Jesus wants to lead us out of such thinking. God does not punish! Sin itself is punishment enough. But the judgment of God does not affect us here on earth, not us and not the " unjust ". Now is the time of God’s grace! And we do not want to loose it just through playing with " little sins ".
I saw people die. Since there was a child of God; it did not die, but was carried right into heaven. The whole death chamber was full of heavenly peace. This is how I want to die too, death has lost all its fright!
And I saw people die without Jesus. It was infinitely bleak and hopeless.
How good that Jesus has paved the way for us to our Heavenly Father! How great that He died for my sin and dearly bought me for Himself. How fortunate that I belong to Him!
We can choose. Sin is the state of separation from God. Then we do not belong to Jesus, but are separated from Him. Or we completely belong to Jesus, with skin and hair. And He takes possession of us. And if we have to die one day, so He gives us eternal life.

Thank you, Jesus – You have redeemed me! Now I am yours! You will carry me through the dark valley, and then I will entirely be up to You. You are my good Shepherd!

Bible reading today: Luke 22, 1 – 30


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