Weight of Sin

Reading: Jeremiah 50-52; Lamentations 1

My transgressions were bound into a yoke; by his hand they were fastened together; they were set upon my neck; he caused my strength to fail… (Lamentations 1:14)

If every sin weighed one gram, could you carry the weight of your transgression? Even at that ratio, a metric ton would not be an exaggeration. A gram is small, but no sin before God is a small thing.

Be thankful that the burden of your sin was laid on the shoulders of Jesus. Then appreciate His invitation: my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Praise God today for the strength of His grace.

Next Reading: Lamentations 2-5

What Makes God Merciful?

Today’s reading is Isaiah 66; Jeremiah 1-4.

Jeremiah is tough on modern sensitivities, not fitting well with modern mainstream’s almost everything goes mentality. As it rebukes God’s children for exchanging their one God for multiple gods, abandoning His one way for their multiple ways, forsaking His one source for their multiple sources, modern “believers” want to consign this to the “Old Testament God” who was mean and tyrannical. “Aren’t we so fortunate that God became a Christian by the time we get to the New Testament and now He isn’t so strict?” But God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. What makes God merciful is not that He is happy with us doing whatever we think works. What makes Him merciful is this: “Return, faithless Israel, declares the LORD. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the LORD; I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the LORD your God and scattered your favors among the foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 3:12-13, ESV). God’s mercy doesn’t mean we can walk in whatever way pleases us, it means when we have done that, we can turn back to Him and He will forgive and strengthen us. Praise God for His mercy!

Tomorrow’s reading is Jeremiah 5-9.