The NIV 365-Day Devotional Reading PlanSample

Meditation

The record of human history can be viewed as the story of the conflict between the power of sin and the power of God’s grace. God graciously begins by planting a garden and placing two people, Adam and Eve, there. Through their sin, evil invades and corrupts their place of blessing, forcing them away from God’s presence. God’s grace responds by promising to ultimately destroy the power of evil. Sin retaliates by bringing violence and bloodshed into the world and multiplying it throughout the generations. God’s grace offers a childless couple a baby. Sin enslaves the children of Abraham in Egypt. Grace delivers them through the Red Sea. On and on the story goes. Sin and grace wrestle to see which side will have the upper hand. But little by little, it becomes clear that grace is establishing its position, gaining the upper hand, preparing to land its decisive and crushing blow.

Grace, in the person of Jesus Christ, takes on human flesh. Sin lashes out, trying to kill the child. Grace finds a safe place for him in Egypt. Sin tempts Jesus. Grace defeats temptation. The blind see. The lame walk. Demons shriek. Sin musters its strength for one final battle, but grace wins in the most astonishing turn of events. There is One over whom sin has no power and over whom death has no hold. Only he is able to release those held hostage to the sin Adam allowed into the world.

Prayer

Almighty Father, thank you for leading me toward my final home with you. I pray all of this through the power and strength of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. Amen.

Taken from Once a Day 40 Days to Easter