Taking Sin Seriously
If you bring a sheep as your gift, present it to the Lord. Leviticus 3:7
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Sin was serious business for the ancient Israelites. The sacrifices they placed on the altar were spotless, prized animals, to remind the people of the high cost of their sins. To sacrifice an animal, the priests killed it and drained its blood. This reminded the people that the animals were dying in their place.
Since Christ died on the cross, we no longer need to offer animal sacrifices because Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins! Oftentimes we offer God a mumbled prayer asking for forgiveness. We forget that God offered his perfect Son, whom he loved and prized. When we sin casually, we ignore the fact that Christ carried the weight of our sins on his shoulders as he bled and died. When we fail to ask for forgiveness, we miss the opportunity to receive mercy as we sit in the presence of a holy God. Have you thanked him for the sacrifice he gave for you? We take sin seriously when we remember Christ’s sacrifice and offer him a thankful and repentant heart.
Prayers:
JESUS, thank you for giving yourself as an offering so that I could be free! I confess that I sometimes take my sin lightly and forget what you suffered on the cross. Help me to remember your sacrifice and not to grieve you with a callused and forgetful heart. As I receive the Father’s forgiveness through your offering of yourself, I will praise you and thank you for the freedom that forgiveness gives!
Quotes:
Sin is like ice in our pipes—our spiritual lives have been “frozen.” There is only one solution, and that is repentance to clear the blockage and restore the flow of the Holy Spirit.
Billy Graham (b. 1918)
The One Year Bible Readings for today are: Leviticus 1:1–3:17; Mark 1:29–2:12; Psalm 35:17-28 and Proverbs 9:13-18.
