EPHESIANS 2:1-7 – “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

THEME OF THE DAY:  GREATER THAN ALL OUR SINS.  Christians still sin.  Obvious, huh?  Another problem Christians have with sin is an area the devil exploits with great success.  It is past sin.  Even long past sin. Even long past and lengthy periods of sinning.   Everyone of us has a past. It is a past that includes shame, regret, and remorse.  We may look back and see periods in our lives when we lived by misplaced priorities – this world and not the next.  We may look back and see periods of spiritual laziness leading to neglect of the Bible, family worship, prayer and lack of faithfulness to the Lord’s house and people.  We may look back and see periods of tolerated sin – uncontrolled speech, unchecked lust. We may look back and see the sin of coveting other things and people, even relationships, to replace the Lord as the center of our lives.  We would call that idolatry.  We may look back and see times of being attached with stronger affections for this world than the Lord. We would call that spiritual adultery.

Yes, we each have a past, and not one of us has a past that doesn’t include sin, failure, and regret.  And should we listen to the condemning lies of the devil, we will be defeated Christians, always living with the heaviness of heart over so much wasted time and opportunities as followers of Jesus.  Here is where the truth of today’s scripture comes to our rescue.

The Apostle Paul describes what we were in our past.  Stop, and read again what he says of us.

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

Rather bleak!  But don’t stop there.  Whenever we encounter the two words “But God” in scripture, get ready for some praiseworthy truth following and here is no exception.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.”

Friends, God’s mercy is greater than all our sins, the ones in the past, present, and yet to be committed.  Don’t live in the bondage of our past.  It has been redeemed by Christ. Walk in the freedom of His abounding mercy. Heed the advice from the wise preacher, Charles Spurgeon – “Always look to our past through one word – forgiven.”  Good advice to follow!

PRAYER: Father, thank You that Your mercy is greater than all my sins and triumphs over judgment.

REFLECTION:  Satan wants us to believe our sins are greater than God’s mercy. Listen to truth not Satan’s lies.