Daily Devotional: The Devastation of Sin

We can learn so much from the history of Israel, one truth being that if we willingly disobey God to partake of the pleasures of sin, God will place us under judgment.

Lamentations 1:1

“How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!”

Sin wreaks havoc in your life. It take those who were once the jewels in God’ crown and makes them unsavory salt good for nothing other than to be trodden under foot. How the mighty have fallen to sin! How easily do men turn from righteousness just to take a “harmless” sample of sin, only to find that they have fallen far from all righteousness.

Do not be decided by the pleasures of sin. Their joy may endure for a while, but eternal fire awaits the sinner. God is not mocked. If you willingly choose to taste of the pleasures of sin, He will ensure that you, like Israel, reap the seeds of your disobedience. Israel lost its place as the jewel in God’s crown. Cast out of their land, the Jews were taken captive by Assyria and Babylon for their sins. They lost their homes. They lost their temple, meaning they lost the ability to come before God to offer their sacrifices.
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Are you willing to risk losing your ability to come before God to ask for forgiveness? Do not give one inch to sin or the flesh that delights in sin. Guard your spirit and your body against the temptations of the flesh and the pleasures of sin. Seek instead the joy and fulfillment of being in the presence of Christ. Let the Spirit, not the flesh, be your guide in life. Rejoice in the One who redeemed you from sin. Flee from the things that once held you in bondage. Flee from the clutches of sin.

• Reflection: Do you find yourself falling back into an old sin? Do you still have a hidden desire to do those things which are inconvenient to your walk with God? Leave a comment below to share how God has freed you of the desire to commit the sins you once held dear.