The blame game

​9-10-21
Today’s devotion is based on Mark 7:21-23, “For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”
Whenever we sin, especially if we are caught in a sin, we like to blame something or someone else for the sin.  We don’t want to be at fault. But in our Bible reading for today, Jesus bluntly says that the problem starts with you and me—in our hearts. Combine that with a society that tells us to do whatever is in our hearts, and we have a big problem. When we fail to control the desires that reside in our hearts, it boils over into sin of all kinds. For such things, we deserve eternal punishment from God.
Yet, we have a Savior, one that makes us worthy to stand before God on Judgment Day.  Jesus is different from you and me. He was pure in heart. None of the things on this list resided in his heart. He lived an entire life in our place without ever once falling into sin. He was perfect where we have failed. He took God’s wrath upon himself so that we can confidently say that through faith in him, heaven will be our home!
Please pray with me: Dear Jesus, you are perfect and holy and have given me the gift of eternal life through your death. Help today to control the desires in my heart. Please forgive me when I sin. Help me through your Word grow in faith so that I can live a better life.  In your holy name, I pray. Amen.