DAILY DEVOTION, Dec. 3, 2021

We read in Proverbs 3:7, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.” Wisdom demands that we turn from evil. We fear God because we know we have sinned against His holy will. We fear God because we know the eternal consequences of sin. Then we discover the forgiveness Jesus provides for us. We despise the fact that our sins have so offended God that drastic measures had to be taken to redeem us. What will be our attitude towards evil as redeemed sinners? We will want to depart from evil and devote our lives to that which is good.  A mature Christian who is indifferent to sin is a contradiction.

This gives us a means of testing the reality of our relationship with God. Unfortunately, some find their way into the church but fail to grasp the fullness of the Gospel. There are lost souls who attend church regularly.  One way to evaluate the reality of your own faith is to ask this question: what is my attitude toward sin and evil? Those who fear God and who have then entered into the love of God will “depart from evil,” according to our text.  A mature believer never says, “Everyone sins, so I don’t take my evil ways seriously.  I assume God will forgive me.” Yes, the very best Christian indeed sins, but he never takes it lightly.  He hates evil when he sees it rising in his heart. When a Christian knows he has fallen into evil, there is immediate repentance. He will quickly confess his sin and pray for forgiveness.  He will be at the Lord’s Table regularly to receive again the forgiveness contained in the sacrifice of Jesus.

Father, I am truly sorry for the many times I have offended You. With Your help, I am determined to depart from evil. I thank you for your mercy which Jesus provided to me at Calvary. I want to live to honor His name. Amen.