August 1-5, 2022
Reflections on The Fall
Conviction not Condemnation
August 5, 2022 • Chris Rodden • John 10:10, Romans 7:21—8:11
This has been a tough, heavy week talking about sin and its consequences. So, today, let's focus on this: Conviction is not condemnation. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Conviction from the Holy Spirit is a gift. We should be glad that God is looking out for us. I know I am! Little by little, your spirit becomes more sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. When I start to revert to some old, bad habit or response, God gives me a nudge, helping me to come up higher. It doesn't have to be a stern warning. It is a chance to reflect Jesus and to grow up a little more. Remember, too, that Christ came to give us an abundant life (John 10:10) and that the Holy Spirit can speak to anyone, so please do not become a judge, a scold, or a nitpicker to yourself or anyone else. I pray that God will give us soft spirits so that we can receive what He is trying to say. And if we fail? His mercies are new every morning. Jesus paid for all of it at the cross. Believe that! Get up and try again. God loves you. Just. Keep. Going.
Who are we?
August 4, 2022 • Chris Rodden • Genesis 37, Luke 15, Matthew 20:16
Apart from God, we’re not sure who we are. We were meant to be in perfect communion with our Maker, and we're not. In a world of sin and separation, we grasp for identity and significance. Deep down, people feel unmoored and insecure. Competition and jealousy are a natural result as we jockey for position, power, and limited resources. Joseph’s brothers knew there was something special about him, seethed with resentment, and sold him into slavery (Genesis 37). When a father lavished his prodigal son with love and gifts upon his return home, the jealous, self-righteous older brother was indignant that someone so undeserving received so much (Luke 15). A rattled Herod felt his power was so tenuous after the birth of Jesus that he ordered the slaughter of male babies and toddlers (Matthew 2). Insecurity, resentment, and the lust for power cause people to sin and inflict pain on God’s image-bearers. Jesus said, “The first shall be last and the last shall be first” (Matthew 20:16). The King of the universe knelt down and washed feet and submitted to his crucifixion. Lord, have mercy on us. Help us to surrender to Your ways and find our worth in You.
Consequences
August 3, 2022 • Chris Rodden • Genesis 3, Genesis 6:5, Psalm 61:1
After sin entered the world (Genesis 3), life was never the same. There were immediate consequences—banishment, physical pain, grueling work, antagonism between man and woman. Generations fell into deeper sin where “every inclination of the thoughts of [man’s] heart was only evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5). God chose people like Noah and Abraham and their descendants to begin to restore His relationship to a fallen world. False gods, depravity, and brutal suffering were everywhere. Moses, the Law, and the nation of Israel set the stage for His coming kingdom. Many Old Testament stories reflect the constant push-and-pull between a righteous God and His people struggling, and often failing, to follow His ways. And then Jesus came to show us the heart of God (see yesterday’s devotion) and how to live. He took the penalty for our sins, and through Him we are restored to the Father. Praise God! And yet, and yet… we still experience brokenness, sin, and suffering in our lives and in our world. All of us fall short and no one is spared from the damage of sin. Our hearts cry out to you, Lord (Psalm 61:1). Father, show us how we have allowed sin in our lives and hurt others. Let us be aware of the darkness and consequences of our sin and seek Your goodness and righteousness.
Back to the heart of God
August 2, 2022 • Chris Rodden • Matthew 22:37–40
“’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40). I have often meditated on the fact that all the Law comes down to loving God and loving others. I mean, this is certainly easier to memorize than the hundreds of laws and customs found in the Old Testament. However, this is not really a matter of dumbing it down for someone like me; rather, God is getting us back to His heart and His very nature. We know God is love (1 John 4:8). And that God is perfect (Matthew 5:48). Perfect love. Whatever we do that is unloving toward God or others separates us from God. “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God” (Isaiah 59:2). I remember seeing a meme years ago, “You are as close to God as you want to be.” Well, I want to be as close to Him as I can. I need to spend more time putting thoughts and actions through this filter to see if, or how, anything I'm doing is unloving toward God or others. And I'll ask questions like, Does this action honor God? Am I doing what's best for someone or am I acting selfishly? Do others see God in me?
Get Real
August 1, 2022 • Chris Rodden • Genesis 4:7, Romans 5:12, James 1:14
“Sin is crouching at your door” (Genesis 4:7). Let me be real here. Sometimes it's just easy to sin. There are days when nothing goes right, and the ugliness comes out. I haven't hijacked any planes, but I can simmer with impatience and nag at my kids like nobody's business. And I hate that about myself. We never stood a chance. “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin....” (Romans 5:12). I often think, “Hey, thanks for nothing, Adam and Eve. You really ruined everything for the rest of us.” But honestly, I know I would not have done any better. We are made in God’s image, but we have our own wills and fall into temptation. “[B]ut each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed” (James 1:14). None of this is “fair” of course. We never wanted it to be this way. But just as a doctor can’t treat us if we don't say where we hurt, we can't be what God intends unless we first sit with our sin for a while. Let's start there and get real. Let's ask God for help in seeing and admitting where we go wrong. Open my eyes and heart, Lord, so that I can see what's really there.