I read a devotional this morning that caused a question to rise: Is my body the Bethlehem of God’s Son?
I can honestly say that there are moments where He is fully being birthed in my life on a continual basis. There are others, however, seasons even, when I unwittingly allow sin to have its way with me.
Here’s the thing we never outgrow our ability to sin AND the enemy is always crouching around the corner looking for those whom he can devour.
In 1 Cor. 5., Paul compares sin to a little yeast that spreads through a whole batch of dough. Yeast acts like a chemical agent that causes the bread to rise. Sin does the same with our flesh. When I make way for sin, it causes my flesh to rise & the Spirit to fade.
We serve a jealous God who longs to take up full residence in our hearts, but I also see Him as a gentleman who won’t force His way. He IS The Way, but He loves us enough to allow us to choose His Way...or not.
Recently, I’ve allowed my thoughts to wander down ways without my Savior - paths that leave me feeling anything but redeemed.Taking captive every thought is very difficult when your thoughts feel like a freight train running full-speed ahead at the midnight hour.
Kinda like the yeast, the more I allow sin to lead instead of my Savior, my flesh begins to rise, eventually giving birth to old bread mottled with mold.
When I remember that I am the very dwelling place of my Savior, the Bethlehem of God’s Son, and I find myself wandering down paths that are not “The Way”, I can make an abrupt about-face to Emmanuel.
Paul writes that this new unleavened bread is marked by sincerity & truth. The bottom line is that we can only be saved from sin by a Savior. The only way to bread unleavened is through a savior that removes the sin. It is there that we have lives marked by sincerity & truth.
Father, shed your light on any sin that’s snuck its way into our hearts...fear, worry, control, anger, pride. Holy spirit, do not let this yeast yank our eyes off of our Savior! Bring it to mind so we may confess it & remove it from our every day lives. We want to remain a pure & undefiled Bethlehem for God’s Son! #oneyearbible
August 9th One Year Bible Readings Ezra 8:21-9:15 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 Psalm 31:1-8 Proverbs 21:1-2
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