Sin is a loaded word. For those outside the faith, it’s a funny and dated religious term. For Christians, we repeat it so often that it loses its bite. Scripture reveals that sin is worse than we know. Jesus is so serious about it that he says, “If your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out.” What is it about sin that’s so fatal it would require Jesus to go to the cross?
This Lent we do a soul examination, studying all the ways God describes the complex of sin. Lawlessness, adultery, rebellion . . . The cancerous nature of sin means that we need to go deeper than surface confession. The problem is worse than we know, which makes our Savior greater than we can imagine.
Invocation
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, who delivers us from all evil.
Invitation Prayer
Lord, evil often comes from those closest to us. Peter denied you and Judas betrayed you. You know the pain of evil that comes from your friends. Comfort us when we are hurt by those we love. Lord Jesus, without you we fall. With you, we stand. Stay with us, Amen.
Word
Hosea 2:19-20
“And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.”
Meditation:Love in the Flesh by Anna Jacob
Sin as adultery—a heavy topic.
Attempting to write on this subject has not been an easy task. Before knowing what verses I wanted to focus my meditation on, I had already begun contemplating sin and flesh, taking a look at how our bodies in general cause us to sin. How the very thing that helps us to get through the day is also the thing that can cause us harm, maybe not physically, but spiritually.
We each have been blessed with our given bodies. But with that blessing comes a responsibility. And for each of us, there are certain desires and temptations that must be battled. Our bodies allow us to do so much in this life. But just as our bodies help us to get through the day, they can be the cause of our stumbling and failures in life.
I have had a love-hate relationship with my body for most of my life. Like most women, I struggle with putting weight on, losing a little bit, putting more weight on, losing a little bit more, or just struggling to lose any weight at all. Yet despite these struggles, I am so grateful for all of the various things my body has allowed and continues to allow me to do in life. I have played numerous sports. I go camping. I embark on various roadtrips. I have traveled to various countries. So far in life, my body gets me through the day even when I resent it.
However, with every good thing in life, there is the potential for it to be used not for good. In essence, our bodies also get us into trouble. Our bodies can become idols. Our bodies can be used to hurt others. Our bodies can be tempted.
Falling into temptation.
Bodily sin can make us resent ourselves and our choices. We no longer feel worthy. We feel unlovable. We feel ashamed. But despite our failings, we have a soul worth saving.
A couple weeks ago, the song ‘Soul Worth Saving’ by Apollo LTD played on the radio, spurring me into contemplation about this upcoming week’s meditation. I jotted a few ideas down and then let it sit, knowing I still had time before it needed to be finished. Then during my drive home from work today (the day this meditation was due), I turned on the radio to once again hear this song, which includes the following lyrics:
A worthy soul and treasured heart
Beloved more than all the stars
Made for Heaven by design
Worth the rescue every time
When our bodies fail. When our flesh betrays us. When we fail to resist temptation. God still knows our hearts. He knows that we have a soul worth saving. And we can trust in Him because we know that he has already saved us. His son was sent. His body was hung on a cross. And Jesus conquered death.
Dear Lord, daily I strive to love you with all my heart and with all my soul. Thank you for the body you have blessed me with. Help me to use it for your glory and not my own pleasure. In your name I pray, Amen.
Sending
Lord, in the face of evil, you call us from death to life, from silence to speech, from idleness to action. Go with us now. Send us with your gifts. Sustain us by your promise. Amen.