Interconnected: RelationshipsEsimerkki

In Christ: Redemption

When seen at a distance, certain objects seem blurry and are difficult to discern. Such may be the case with Bible verses like Romans 3:24—that is, if you just glance at it from a distance. With such gigantic words like justified, grace, and redemption, you might feel like you’re standing at the bottom of the Empire State Building, trying to see up to the very top.

However, as you lean in close to view this verse, you find things become a lot clearer. This verse says that because God is gracious, He chose to declare us right in His eyes. This was accomplished by Jesus coming up to the display case of life and claiming us as His. It's all Him. Because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, sent His Son into this world to pay a debt He did not owe . . . because we owed a debt we could not pay. Jesus alone was able to pay for all of our sins. The best that the Old Testament sacrifices could offer was to cover over the sins of people. Not so with Jesus. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus was not for just covering over sin; His precious blood takes sin away completely.

God’s message to His people, delivered through the prophet Isaiah, was that though their sins were as red as scarlet, “they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18 NKJV). That, my friend, is not the covering over of sin. That is the taking away of sin. Jesus alone was able to accomplish that.

My dear friend, relax and enjoy today. Why? Because Jesus has redeemed you. He's done all the work. Delight in being His child today.

DIG: What are some things that seemed difficult to grasp at first glance but became clear when you focused in through the Lord?
DISCOVER: When was the last time you relaxed and delighted in the fact that you are God’s child?
DISPLAY: Let your weary soul unwind in His Presence because He's picked up the tab of your sins. You're good.