Corona Devo 1780
Everyday when I enter and when I leave work, I walk by the same tree (plant?) in our office. I even water that tree about once a week. Sometimes someone else waters it, but often it's me.
I see that plant daily. But today I noticed (for the first time) that there were a bunch of dead branches littering the pot it grows in and the floor around it.
Where did those come from?
I say "branch", but I don't know what kind of tree or plant it is, and they aren't exactly branches, but they aren't exactly leaves either. Strands. There were dead strands all around the plant that surely must have been dead and dying there for days and even weeks. But I hadn't noticed them (any of them!), until now.
There were quite a few and they didn't happen overnight, but I must have just gotten used to seeing them as they withered and then drooped, and then dropped. It must have been subtle, because I never noticed it happening.
As I gathered up the (many) dried strands (too many for me not to have noticed on a plant that I pass by multiple times daily)...as I swept-up and scooped-up the dead strands: that's when God whispered to my heart about the dead strands of sin that we allow to grow and wither and even pollute our mind and lives...without "noticing them".
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (10) If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. ~I John 1:8-10
We have dead leaves of sin that we have grown used to...but that we should not. Strands that should be cut, pruned, and removed, but that we have gotten so comfortable with that we don't even "see" them anymore.
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; (23) to be made new in the attitude of your minds; (24) and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. ~Ephesians 4:22-24
We get comfortable with our sin. We don't own it. We rationalize it, we justify it, and often we just ignore it. And sometimes we just don't notice that it is piling up in our lives.
Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. ~Proverbs 28:13
But God's word opens our eyes and reminds us of the call to righteousness that He has placed on our lives. We are called to live purely and without sin, as we seek to emulate Christ our Savior.
It's time for some pruning today.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. (6) Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. (7) You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. (8) But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. (9) Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices (10) and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. ~Colossians 3:5-10
Are there a bunch of sin-strands littering our lives? Or even just a very few singular strands?
Where did those come from?
I think we know exactly where our sin habits began and came from, but in Christ, and with His help: we can cease those sins and remove their debris from our hearts, minds, and lives.
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? (2) By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
(4) ...just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
(6) For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— (7) because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
(9) For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
(11) In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
(12) Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. (13) Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.
(14) For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. ~Romans 6:1-2, 4, 6-7, 9, 11-14
Have we been "walking by" a certain sin in our lives for so long that we no longer even "notice" it?
Is it time to prune the strands of sin that we have become accustomed to?
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. (2) He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. ~I John 2:1-2
Amen!
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