Advent Day 24
Matt 1:21
“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
“Sins” is an unfortunately misused term. It is a word that has been used to shame people, to scare people, and to make people feel less than others.
The Biblical understanding of the word is to miss a target. Jesus once challenged some very judgmental people to go ahead and judge if they were “without sin.” They all went home sad.
This is because all human creatures miss the target sometimes. We were made for perfect intimacy with one another and with our maker. How’s that going for you?
It’s not hard, it’s impossible to hit that target. Shame, fear, doubt, secrecy, selfishness, and manipulation often cause us to experience a lack of intimacy with both God and others.
And doesn’t it hurt? I hate it! I want things to be right!
Well, there is a way for it to be right.
It’s the one who saves his people from the sins.
We experience all those failures of intimacy because we don’t think it’s ok to miss the target. There’s great freedom in knowing that it’s ok when we don’t hit the target.
It is, it’s ok. That’s why Jesus came.
Prayer
Jesus you hit the target, so I don’t have to. Help me to aim for a different target. I want to hit the target of complete trust in you. I want vulnerability, humility, honesty, and trust more than perfection. Help me to experience the Gospel more every day!
Today’s ADVENTure says
Read out loud first 2 chapters or Matthew