Makes You Think
I saw a video recently. It was a young mother type person sitting in some kind of SUV relating a story that goes something like this…
“We went to a store that had a large parking lot where my young children and I would have to walk a good distance just to get to the door. I told my kids that they were going to have to hold my hand while we walked in. We hadn’t got very far when my oldest complained and pointed to another child walking in but not holding his mother’s hand. My reaction was instantaneous when I told him that I wasn’t his momThis made me think about how many times I’ve done something I shouldn’t and I point to someone else and think ‘they get to do it, why can’t I’? That’s when I realize that I chose to accept Jesus Christ as my savior and part of my faith walk is to conform to his teachings with help from the Holy Spirit.”
I think we all tend to compare our situation to others and sometimes we wonder why we don’t get the “perks” that someone else is getting. We forget that we are children of God and that like every parent, he has told us how to act.
“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”- 1 John 5:1-5 ESV
Just this morning, I was reminded in a very elegant way that every one of our sins requires a penalty be satisfied. When we die and stand before God, the penalty for our sins, for those that have accepted Christ, will be cancelled because Jesus was persecuted and was violently murdered for our sins.
“Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.” - Luke 23:20-25
I don’t know about you but someone taking my penalty so I can get off the hook is not something I want to take lightly
