Key Verse to Read and Treasure:
So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with graving tool and made a golden calf—Exodus 32:2-4 (ESV)
For Insight
It didn’t take the Israelites very long after being delivered from captivity to find themselves in need of God’s forgiveness. As soon as Moses had gone up to the mountain to be in the counsel of God and receive direction, the people used that opportunity to turn to their own ways and solutions. All the gold they had on their person was melted down and molded into a golden calf they could worship. Fresh out of bondage and needing fresh forgiveness!
When our children were growing up, each Ash Wednesday they used to hold a contest among themselves to see who would sin first after receiving the ashes on their forehead. Of course, they would deliberately do things to tempt or lead their sibling to sin.
How long did it take you to sin after the clock chimed 12 midnight January 1st ? Unless you were asleep, not very long. According to John we sin in thought, word, and deed, so every hour of the day we are sinning, either on a deliberate or conscious level or by the things we fail to do. What a sobering thought that we are always sinning in some way by sins of omission or commission. That also means we are always in need of God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness every hour of our day.
Whether your sin came forward with you into this new time or you created a fresh one, your need for God’s forgiveness is real and urgent. Like the Israelites, who angered God by sinning against him and received God’s fresh forgiveness that same loving God is with us to forgive our sins today and every day of this brand new year when we turn (back) to him and ask.
God, forgive our sins—new and old—so we may be in close communion with you every day this year and always. Amen
On a Scale of 1-10
How seriously do you take your need for daily forgiveness from God? Do you remember to ask God’s forgiveness daily?
Devotionally Yours 