ODJ: stained
This is My blood, which confirms the covenant between God and His people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many (v.28).
READ: Matthew 26:26-35
It had been one of those days. Busy, disjointed, and generally out of sorts. So I was less than thrilled when I opened the dryer to discover a red marker without its cap among the load of newly washed clothes. Assessing the damage, I sighed heavily as I realized only a few pieces of the large load had been left untouched by crimson stains. Knowing anger would prove fruitless, I grabbed the stain remover and went to work. Later, when the load had finished rewashing, I was thankful to see that all traces of red ink had disappeared.
When it comes to sin, no amount of manmade stain remover will ever work. Like a marker in the laundry, sin becomes visible, marking everything it touches. Our best efforts to make it go away leave us profoundly soiled and without hope (Isaiah 64:6).
We are desperate for Jesus.
Both the Old and New Testaments tell us there can be no removal of sin without the shedding of blood (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22). While we attest to this truth verbally by confession, do our hearts grasp the enormity of it?
We are covered by the precious blood of the spotless Lamb of God (1 Peter 1:18-19). Pure, undefiled—undeserving of our sin—Jesus’ blood was spilled on our behalf. Not a casual marking here and there. It was a saturation, leaving an indelible mark of love and mercy. For the believer, real life flows from a bloodstained Savior.
His sacrifice demands a response, not because He is demanding, but because His gift leaves us without excuse (Ephesians 1:7). When the magnitude of His sacrifice brings our sin and His hope to light, we realize: Repentance is a way of life (1 John 1:7-9) and our hearts should be filled with gratitude to Jesus for His blood-stain on our lives (Colossians 1:12-14). —Regina Franklin
What value do you place on Jesus’ sacrifice? Does your life display the enormity of God’s love for you?
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Loading ...ODB: show your colors
July 29, 2010
READ: Romans 1:8-16
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. —Romans 1:16
Iwas excited about going to the baseball park to watch the Detroit Tigers play the Chicago White Sox. I proudly put on my Tigers T-shirt that morning before going to the opposing team’s stadium. But I had to wear a sweatshirt over my team’s shirt because it was cool outside. So I was disappointed that no one at U.S. Cellular Field could see which team I was there to cheer for. No one knew I was a Tigers’ fan. After a 3-hour rain delay, the game finally started and I could cheer for my team and get my loyalty out in the open.
The apostle Paul had a loyalty that was most definitely out in the open—a loyalty to Jesus Christ. He wrote to the believers in Rome, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ” (Rom. 1:16). He knew that the gospel was “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” because Jesus had dramatically changed his life and its direction. In his preaching and witnessing, he proclaimed Jesus, the One to whom he had given his whole life (Acts 9).
The believers in Rome were also known for their allegiance to Christ. Paul said of them: “Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world” (Rom. 1:8).
Is your loyalty to Jesus out in the open? —Anne Cetas
Our loyalty to Jesus should be seen and heard in our lives.
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