October 08th, 2020

10-8-20
Today’s devotion is based on Isaiah 55:8   “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.”
When Penny and I visit an antique store we usually see a sign on the door, “You break it, you buy it.” It’s a pretty simple concept. If you pick up a valuable and fragile item in an antique store, you had better be ready to purchase it in case something happens. If you drop it on the floor and it shatters into a million pieces, “It was an accident,” probably isn’t going to satisfy the store owner. If you’re the one who broke it, then you’re the one who will pay for it.
But that’s not the way our Savior-God operates. The prophet Isaiah tells us that he freely pardons sin, and then God tells us why: “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.” In other words, God doesn’t operate with a human standard of justice. 
So when our creator God saw that we sinfully broke everything—his perfect creation and our perfect relationships with him and one another—he didn’t ask us to pony up ourselves. He paid the awful price himself. He sacrificed his greatest treasure, his Son, to make restitution for what we destroyed. By his death on the cross, Jesus paid for our shattering sins once for all. He declares sinners perfect!
Please pray with me the prayer for today: Heavenly Father, creator, and sustainer of all things, seen and unseen, help me marvel in the fact that by your death and resurrection, you declare me what I am not: perfect. give me confidence that, though I am sinful, you freely forgive me for Jesus’ sake.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen