I did the funeral of an old friend the other day. I was with the family and we planned the service and then we did the service and had a wonderful reception. There was lots of hugging and tears and face to face talks. When it was all over I went home and tried to get refocused when I got a text. One of the folks who I love and we had hugged and cried together over the loss of this special one messaged me and said "I wasn't feeling well and on a whim I took a covid test...and I'm positive. My heart just broke for this person and then I thought...I've been right there with you and I've been as exposed about as much as I can be. I told my family and they asked me to just kind of lay low and stay away from folks and after 72 hours I can take a test to see if I've got it too. The thing is...I already know that I have the disease. Oh...not covid! I've had that 3 times! The disease that I have, I don't have to be tested for. I have the deadliest disease ever...called sin. The Bible says that everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. I still struggle with that disease, but I've got the cure. It is Jesus. The Bible says that God in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. When Jesus died on the cross he started making sinners right in his sight when they chose to believe in Him. That disease can't have its way with me anymore because I have made the decision to believe and follow and most of all love this Jesus of the Bible. Everybody has the disease and it will kill you...forever. But Jesus is the cure and you are saved forever through him. That covid stuff...well, actually I will find out in a few hours whether or not it is there. And if I don't have it, they will make me quit goofing off and get back to work! But for sin...I have my best friend ever who took care of that for me. And he will do it for you too! Here's our Bible verse for today...
Romans 3:23-24 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. (24) Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
Remember I'm praying for you,
PJ
Romans 3:23-24 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. (24) Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
Remember I'm praying for you,
PJ