TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL PASSAGE

DEVOTIONAL

by Sandra Chua

In Korean television series, the reputation of popular actors, actresses, and politicians is valued by the public. Sadly, they always have hidden skeletons in their closets. Once found, the skeletons have a negative impact on their career and, to some extremes, might tear everything they have built. It is an illustration that sin has consequences and penalties, as stated in the Bible.

When the eleven brothers sold Joseph to Egypt and lied to their father that he was dead for over thirteen years, apart from the grief they saw it caused their father, they must have thought they had gotten away with their crime. (Genesis 37) But God does not give up on his people. After that long period of time, God moved their conscience to look back to their sin. We are not told if they confessed to God, but when they were accused of being spies, in verse 21, they said to one another, “Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us.” They knew they had sinned, and its consequences had come.

Our sins truly have more than consequences. Sin has a penalty. We can never on our own pay for the penalty of our sins. We cannot do enough good deeds to erase them. We need a savior. Thanks be to our Lord Jesus, who has paid the penalty for our sins by shedding blood on the cross. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Remember, God promised that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We may not be able to avoid the consequences, but rest assured, the penalty has been paid.

REFLECTION

 What sins do we need to confess to the Lord?

PRAYER