Without the blood of Jesus we are all permanently stained by our sin. Our pasts are woven into our present. And no matter how much restitution we’ve made or the pardoning we may have received, we are blemished. There is no escaping. There’s no amount of goodness that can get us back to God. Not the Gospel so many are taught, but nonetheless, truth.
The stain of sin permanently separates us. There is no working our way back into good graces. We can’t serve a sentence and be restored to the throne. There are no reparations or amends great enough to allow us into his presence.
But then Jesus.
God is holy. A holiness our simple minds cannot comprehend. But the stains we created prohibit us from entering into his holy presence. And yet, he wants us to sit at his feet so he can pour out his love. A love we desperately need.
Everything we deserved was put onJesus to carry. The wrath of God released on his own son so that we could have life. He did that willingly out of a great passion for his people. For me. For you. For everyone. But of course, only if we choose. We get to make that decision.
The liberating blood of Christ runs deep and wide, like a river with no end. It was shed with purpose and intention to restore, heal and make new for all who surrender. It’s a beautiful gift of hope.
And when we die to ourselves, we die to our past. We no longer have to be slaves to the choices we’ve made. And even if our choices have crippled us, he’s doing something new.
Guilt and shame are tools the enemy uses powerfully to keep people in bondage. Because if he can’t have your heart, he will work tirelessly for your mind. He will go to great lengths to keep you captive. He will leave you in a state of regret showering you with the “only ifs” of life.
The enemy wants the shame of sin to be our identity. He wants to use a cruel and unforgiving people to paralyze your purpose. He wants to cause you to dwell on the damage of yesterday so you are unable to see hope for today.
The enemy has labeled you. He’s gotten you to live a stained filled existence. He’s used others to hold you to a past, a choice, an addiction that Jesus held tightly to his chest while bleeding out on the cross. Don’t give your blood bought freedom to an evil enemy. Guilt, shame…. They don’t come from Jesus!
The power of the blood of Christ is that it cleanses us. It washes is clean. It makes us new. It restores and makes us whole. He sanctifies us and purifies us. And our pasts, our choices, and failures, well God doesn’t see them. But somehow, he uses them for his glory. He wastes nothing.
We can’t escape a world, or a people that don’t understand the mercy and grace of God. We can’t control their thoughts of who we are. We can’t change their opinions and judgement of us. So don’t even try! Don’t base your walk on the thoughts of others. It’s you and him.
Saturate yourself today in the promises of God’s word. Behold, I am doing something new. Don’t dwell in the past. If you are a believer, you no longer live. Christ lives in you. Walk forward boldly. Walk humbly, in freedom.