Sometimes I should call my day’s blog “Chats with Isaac.” Isaac is nearly 12 and the youngest of our six kids. He’s cute, smart and thinks deeply about things and I love our chats.
Today Issac asked me if a person can be bad? It’s an interesting question, but I don’t think people are created awful or completely bad. We all have sinfulness because sin came into the world with Adam and Eve and we’re born with the seeds of sin. It’s why we need Jesus to set us free from ourselves and our sinful desires. But we’re also made in the image and likeness of God. He created us, and He is good, so we have goodness in us too. (Genesis 1:26-27)
What we do with our lives and the choices we make are totally up to us. We can come to Jesus and ask Him to forgive, and remove the seed and stain of sin. Then we will have immense capacity to fill our lives with, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, with anything excellent or praiseworthy. (Philippians, 4:8). Or we can choose to focus and fill our hearts and lives with the opposite. That choice is entirely up to us.
The absolute worst people in history didn’t start life evil and wicked. But in response to their circumstances, they chose to hold onto their way of doing life rather than Jesus’ and to offence, hurt, disappointment, abuse and pain and allowed that to colour and contaminate any goodness they did have in their hearts. It’s a sobering reminder when you look at how wicked people can become, of the importance of our choices, and keeping watch over the condition of our hearts.
In response to Isaac’s chat, I was reminded how easy it is for the negative to colour everything we think, do and believe. Thankfully, we can choose to empty out the negative and wicked, to cast our cares and worries upon Jesus, and to choose His way of doing life. But we will have to decide because otherwise, circumstances and the pressures of life will decide for us.
When our hearts and spirit’s condition remains in its natural state there will be bad within us because of sin. That’s why we need Jesus to set us free and to strengthen and fill us with his love and goodness every day. We can’t do it on our own.
Today I encourage you to focus on that which leads to life and joy; Focus on and make room for Jesus and all that is good, so that your heart will fill up with those things. Then there will be no room for anything else.
“Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Create in me a clean heart, o God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me…. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. (Psalm 51:10-13 NKJV)
Prayer: Lord Jesus thank that I am a new creation in you and that as I focus on you, your goodness fills my life and empties out the negative and any “bad”. Fill me with your love and goodness today. In Jesus name Amen.
Opmerkingen