by Desiree Bustamante

We are declared forgiven and flawless by Christ.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

“This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.”
Colossians 1:21-22 New Living Translation

It’s not often that I cut into an avocado and see it perfectly unblemished inside. Even though the outside may look pristine, usually there is at least one unsavory spot, and sometimes it’s hiding an entire section of decaying fruit.

We are all blemished on the inside. Even though we try to hide our flaws and our sin with a carefully crafted story, we are still sinful by nature. Try as we may, there’s nothing we can do on our own that can change that. We don’t want anyone to know about our spots and blemishes, so we try hard to hide those from each other and even ourselves.

Looking at Jesus’ life during Lent brings our sin up close and personal, because we see it exposed by Christ’s life and what it led to—the horrifying death and bloody sacrifice that He made for us. His death was supposed to be ours. Yet in His amazing and astounding love, Christ forgives us and He forgets our sins. Only His grace and mercy remain.

Our bodies will all still die because of sin, but we have been made right with God because of Christ.  Then when Christ returns to take us home, He will present you as spotless because of His death and resurrection.

“But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.”
Colossians 1: 23a New Living Translation

Praise be to Christ, for He is faithful to forgive and heal you, no matter what.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church Colorado Springs, Colorado