“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’” John 1:29-30
At the end of the week, I typically spend time thinking about what things to be thankful for this past week and the things that still haunt me for doing, saying and considering. A while back there was an article of how God sees our sins and it showed a wall with several white columns of varying heights. On one column was printed ‘hate’ in bold letters and another was ‘covet’ and on a really tall one was ‘murder’ and on yet another column was the word ‘adultery’. That is how we view sin; some are viewed as being much more serious than others. When God views our sins, He is looking down on that same wall from above and all the white columns are equal in appearance. I’ve read ‘the Bait of Satan’ by John Bevere a few years ago, and one of the things that has been impressed upon me is self-examination of my daily sinfulness. Take this attached photo of a child who attends Jehovah Jireh in Mirebalais and is fed daily by Trinity HOPE. There are some who look at this and desire to spend $1,500 so they can go to Haiti and hug this child and others like her as it makes them feel good about themselves. There are times when I look at this photo and recall being there seeing her and thinking about how much I donated to help feed this school. In both observations the focus is on us and not on our Heavenly Father and you know which commandment we have sinned against and then comes the excuses for our actions. Sin comes to us in many shapes, colors, and aromas. We are thankful we have a Savior we can easily approach and lay our sins at the foot of His cross. Give thanks for this past week and look within at who we have followed and remember Who gave it all for us on Calvary. I am closing with the words from the hymn ‘I lay my sins on Jesus’ that were written by Horatius Bonar in 1843.
“I lay my sins on Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God; He bears them all and frees us from the accursed load. I bring my guilt to Jesus to wash my crimson stains white in His blood most precious till not a spot remains. I lay my wants on Jesus, all fullness dwells in Him; He healeth my diseases, He doth my soul redeem. I lay my griefs on Jesus, my burdens and my cares; He from them all releases, He all my sorrows shares. I rest my soul on Jesus, this weary soul of mine; His right hand me embraces, I on His breast recline. I love the name of Jesus, Immanuel, Christ the Lord; like fragrance on the breezes His name abroad is poured. I long to be like Jesus, meek, loving, lowly, mild; I long to be like Jesus, the Father's holy Child. I long to be with Jesus amid the heavenly throng to sing with saints His praises, to learn the angels' song.”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.