Today : Forgiven And Free
TODAY’S VERSE
“Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 7:24-25 (NLT)
TODAY’S THOUGHT
Perhaps one of the most universal and pervasive troubles that Christians face is the guilt that comes with sin in our life. We sin. No matter how long we have known Jesus, how much we have matured, how much we pray and read the Bible, we sin. And many times we feel like today’s verse, a wretched miserable person bound by sin. But therein lies the problem. We feel like a wretched person. We sense that God is surprised, outraged and ready to abandon us. But this is not the God of grace. Surely, God does not wink at sin. That is why Jesus had to die on the cross. But He doesn’t condemn us either. Paul finishes his thought on this subject by writing, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” The Apostle John settles the issue when he wrote, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” Does this mean it doesn’t matter? Can we just do anything we want? No. Sin comes between us and God. It also has consequences of its own. We must repent, we must confess, but when we do, we must accept. We must accept His grace. So today, believe God. Believe that He loves you, He has forgiven you and He wants you to walk in the freedom and forgiveness of His grace. Thank God, the answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord!
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, You know my heart. You know my life. I pray that You will help me live for You. Forgive me for my sins and help me live in the freedom of that forgiveness. Help me return to peace and joy after I have blown it. Help me believe that confession and repentance is all You require and that I can rejoice in Your unconditional love and grace.
AMEN
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION & MEDITATION
I am forgiven and free in Christ
Today meditate on Christ’s complete forgiveness of all you have ever done. Picture Him looking at you and saying, “I forgive you!” Think of His unconditional love for you. Hear Him say, “I do not condemn you. I will not leave you or forsake you. I forgive you and empower you to live for me.” Let His love and forgiveness fill your heart and mind. Say out loud, “I am forgiven and free in Christ!”