Monday, November 8, 2021

Today’s Reading: Psalm 40:11-17

Lord, do not withhold Your compassion from me; Your constant love and truth will always guard me. 

Psalm 40:11

Reflection: God delivers us from sin. Sin in the world manifests itself in many shapes and forms. The sin that resides in others around us is accusatory. It seeks to disgrace us and confuse us. It drives people to harm others and to instill fear within those around them. But the sin that lives within us brings us even more danger. It has the ability to surround us from all sides, and engulf us. It keeps us from seeing clearly, causing us to live in darkness. The sin within us leaves behind a trail of destruction, steals our courage and replaces it with shame. And at last, it leaves us dead, eternally separated from God.

We cannot escape sin except by God’s deliverance. We can only be relieved from the burden of sin around us and within us by the help of the LORD. By His grace, He shows us our sin by His Truth. He provides His own righteousness, and He ends sins power over us.

In our desperation for deliverance from pain, suffering, oppression, and injustice, we are tempted to seek help from institutions or movements, or even to take matters into our own hands. The problem is that things created by human hands are limited, just as we are. Institutions and movements do just that: move, come and go. Our own actions lack complete control and perfect discernment. But the deliverance of God is everlasting. The help of God is exactly what we need everyday to live in gladness and rejoicing. The salvation of the LORD through Jesus is the true answer to our problem of sin. True deliverance can only be found through Him.

Prayer: LORD, I come to You in thanksgiving, for You are my Deliverer. Thank You for being my escape from sin. Thank You for Your righteousness and faithfulness. Please help me, LORD, to withstand the manifestation of sin around and within me. Grant me Your strength by Your Holy Spirit. Help me to share the Good News of Your Deliverance through Jesus. In His Precious Name I pray, AMEN.

Bible-in-a-Year Reading Plan (credit: Biblestudytools.com): Hebrews 6:13-20; Exodus 1:1-2:25; Psalm 40