Daily Devotion

Sheep or Savior

Hebrews 9:14 ”How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” Saved by God’s Grace Watching a two-year old get dressed is really a trip! The little guy knows he is supposed to put his legs into his pants. First, he tries putting his foot through the bottom of the pant leg. Oops! Then, he manages to get both legs into the same one. Can’t walk that way! After a dozen tries, he carries the pants to Mom, holds them up to her and says, “Help, please.” The Old Testament Jews were a lot like a two-year old getting dressed. They wanted desperately to please God. He had told them to kill sheep and goats as sacrifices for their sins, but they had to do it over and over again. Every year they took animals to the Temple, watched the priest kill them and sprinkle their blood over the people and on the altar. For a while, they felt forgiven. But, then they sinned again. They told a lie, got angry, maybe even cheated their neighbor out of some grain by holding their thumb on the scale. Before they knew it, they were feeling spiritually dirty. Jesus’ death on the cross was God’s answer to mankind’s cry of desperation, “Help me, please!” We all know that we break his standards in our thoughts and attitudes several times a day, let alone our stupid and rebellious actions. Since Jesus perfectly kept every one of God’s laws, he could pay the death penalty we deserve. God accepted his death as payment for us. When we accept Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, God forgives us forever from all of our sins. He even cleanses our conscience, making us free from guilt and shame over our sinful actions and thoughts. In order to receive help getting dressed, a two-year-old has to give up doing it himself. He has to go to a “higher power” and ask for what he needs. We have to do the same if we want true and lasting forgiveness. We have to give up trying to please God ourselves. We have to go to him and ask for help. We also have to accept the help he has determined will do the job by placing our faith in Jesus as His Son and our Savior. Today’s Prayer: Dear Jesus, I’m sorry for all the bad things I do and think every day. So often, I’m rebelling against you and my parent in my mind, even when I’m doing what is expected of me. Please forgive me because Jesus died in my place. Clean me up and help me obey you from now on—from my heart. Amen.