Father, it’s hard to believe that even at this hour that I can still get distracted. I am sorry. I am here. Help me to hear today what You have for me and help me to take it to heart.
Hebrews 2:14-18 (<<click here)
I’ve sat here now for 40 minutes mulling these verses over in my mind. (Make that 50 minutes…) (OK, an hour) I stopped at verse 15, getting stuck on the concept that Your death, Lord, was the only way that we could be set free from our slavery to the fear of dying. I kept thinking that You sacrificed sets us free from sin. So finally I read through three more verses – and it clicked. And when it clicked, Romans 6:23 popped into my head and it became even clearer.
The verse from Romans brought it to focus for me. “For the wages of sin is death…” Because of our own choices (sin) we brought upon ourselves the penalty for those choices – death. And we were “slaves to the fear of dying.” It was a slippery slope with no hope. Once we started to fall there was nothing we could do to stop ourselves – nothing to grab hold of – nothing to even slow ourselves down – death was inevitable!
But You…You had a plan – and nothing would stop You! The penalty for our sin was death and that penalty had to be paid. So You took upon Yourself to pay it – no just mine, or a few or select number but everyone’s penalty – incomprehensible! So when the time was right You did what needed done. Since we are “made of flesh and blood” You “became flesh and blood” for that was the only way You could die and Your death was the only way to “break the power of the devil, who had the power of death.”
The devil didn’t even know what hit him – You were victorious! Your plan was the best plan and because You were victorious we can be! You reached down and snatched us right off of that slippery slope and put our feet on solid ground! We have nothing to fear – death…is…defeated! Praise Your holy name!
Thank You, Lord for letting me struggle. It took me a while but it was worth it. I usually bite off a small portion of Your Word to chew on. I savor it, I mull it over. I want to get everything out that I possibly can of what You have for me but this time I needed just a little bit bigger bite and everything came into place!
Feb 23rd, Tues, 5:21 am
This was good as I have gotten stuck on a verse or so and just kept going over and over it and just was not getting it but once I give up for the moment He seems to bring it back in something we do and it comes clear. I think he just wants us to give more thought than we do to what we are doing at times.