Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God. (1 Peter 1:23, ESV)
I got in my car one day, and something did not smell right. It was a bit unpleasant. But as I drove away the smell seemed to dissipate. The smell must have come from outside the car.
The next time I got in the car, there was the same smell. That was odd. But I got in the car and began to drive. Soon the smell began to fade. The smell must have been a coincidence
A third time I got in the car, and this time the smell seemed stronger. Something was not right. But I got in the car and drove away. The smell never seemed to go away, but at least it was tolerable. I was sure the smell would go away soon.
The fourth time I got in the car, it was unbearable. It stunk. It was awful. This time I was going to figure out what it was. I began looking around. I looked in the glove box and under the seats. And there it was under the seat. There was a banana that was black, moldy, and rotten. Who knows how long it had been there. But it was the source of the terrible odor.
That is a picture of sin. It sits there, often hidden. It stinks. We tolerate it, we rationalize it, but it begins to stink more and more in our lives. It will eventually get to the point where it is unbearable. We can’t rationalize it anymore. Something needs to be done.
The result of sin is that we are perishable. We have an expiration. Like the banana decayed, so also our bodies will decay. There are consequences each day as a result of sin. But we tend to deny, rationalize, and dismiss it.
The good news is Jesus takes the sin. He gives us new life. The Holy Spirit plants faith in our hearts. We are born again and made imperishable for eternal life. He provides a better way. As we grow in maturity of faith, we may still be sinners, rotten to the core, but we become more sensitive to our sin to seek forgiveness and repentance.
Reflection
- Where is sin stinking in your life, that you are ignoring or rationalizing?
- How is the imperishable seed of faith planted in us according to 1 Peter 2:23? What can you do to have that seed planted more abundantly in you?
Prayer
Lord, thank you for planting the seed of faith in my heart that produces abundant and eternal life. Thank you that you have made me imperishable to stand strong against the challenges in life. Open my eyes to see the sin in my life and not to rationalize it or dismiss it. May I find your forgiveness and turn to obedience. In Jesus name, Amen!
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