Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Blech...the indwelling residue of sin

I love preaching about the life change that comes through Jesus.  I love telling people about how He changes people from the inside-out, renovating them by ripping out old and building in new.  I love helping people understand the past-tense form of the verbs that speak about Jesus' death and resurrection:  so factual and so certain.

But I also know that most have struggles that still hang around.

Those addicted struggle against their addictions.  Those who gossip have words fly out of their mouths before their minds are in gear.  Those who are greedy have hearts that beat faster during commercials about the status symbols of success.  Those who have sexual pasts not only have flashbacks but longings.

That's the world we live in.  There is a residue of the cancelled sin.  The lyrics say it so well:  "He breaks the power of cancelled sin..." (O, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing).

That's the hope I offer.  Jesus is in the business of not just making our past into history, but making our present into His kind of future.  He changes lives.

And for all who struggle with sin:  remember that there are days coming when there will not be sin.  That's hope.  Hope keeps us going in the struggle.

But that's just me thinking thoughts...

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