An Insignificant Sin?
Theme of the week: Sin: Yes, We Have a Problem
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
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Key Bible Verses: Do not be fooled: You cannot cheat God. People harvest only what they plant. If they plant to satisfy their sinful selves, their sinful selves will bring them ruin. (Galatians 6:7-8, NCV) Dig Deeper: Joshua 7
If you are trying to live with sin in your life, it's a bigger problem than you think.
This was the case with Israel soon after the people crossed into Canaan (see Dig Deeper). As their armies took control of the region, God gave one simple command: Take no loot. But the temptation was too much for one soldier named Achan. He swiped some booty and buried it in his backyard.
Israel's next conquest was to be a small city named Ai. Joshua knew the battle should be an easy win, so he sent just a fraction of his warriors. But God would not go with them. Ai took them down hard.
When they asked God why he would allow them to be defeated by tiny Ai, he said, "You have sin in the camp, and until that sin is gone, I'll be gone too" (Josh. 7:11-12, my paraphrase).
My dad often says, "Where sin is, God isn't."
It hardly made sense—a nation suffers for one man's sin. [Achan's theft seemed] so small, so insignificant. But Achan was the fly in the ointment, the sand in the crankshaft, the floater in the lemonade. God would not be on their side until Achan was dealt with. Their sin problem was bigger than they thought.
—Palmer Chinchen in God Can't Sleep
My Response: A time my own sinful actions impacted not only me but other people was …
Thought to Apply: No sin is small.—Jeremy Taylor (British cleric)
Adapted from God Can't Sleep (David C. Cook, 2011) by permission. All rights reserved by the copyright holder and/or the publisher. May not be reproduced.
Copyright © 2012 by Christianity Today/Men of Integrity magazine. Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity. 1 of 1
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Father, I know I'm a sinner saved and sustained by grace; when I'm tempted, remind me of sin's destructive power; give me an obedient heart that seeks what is right, good, and holy.
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