Scripture to read today:
Isaiah 11; Isaiah 12; Isaiah 13; Isaiah 14; Hebrews 9
Scripture that spoke to me:
Hebrews 9:14
How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
Observation:
The writer is comparing the old covenant to the new. According to the law given to Moses, cleansing rituals often involved the blood of an animal. The writer states that this works for external cleanliness, but not cleanliness of the soul. Jesus came to cleanse us inside so that we could live and work for God.
Application:
Have you ever done something wrong and no matter how much someone tells you it is ok, you can’t get past doing it? You can’t move on without forgiving yourself from doing whatever it is. Jesus isn’t like that. He forgives and moves on. He frees your conscience so that, instead of focusing on the wrong deed, you are free to focus on doing right the next time.
Prayer:
Lord, forgive me, and help me to forgive myself. Let me learn from my mistakes but not repeat them. I want to be a good person and do the things which make you happy but, like Paul, I often do the things I hate the most. Help me to turn away from sin and walk in Your light always, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
