“Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight.” Acts 9:17-18 (ESV)
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” Galatians 1:10 (ESV)
During the move to our new house the bathroom scales were broken inside. Now those scales tell me that I am a little over eleven stones (150 lbs.). This is so untrue that I cannot swallow their declaration. My body has not seen eleven stones (150 lbs.) for thirty years. Of course, I might like to let myself be deceived by the odd stone or two but not by a third of my weight!
The inner-self declared the scale’s error as I hesitated near the full-length mirror in the bedroom! I could not get away with believing the untruth unless I set out to deliberately avoid my reflection, shadow etc.
There are plethora criteria with which we all attempt to measure up: our parents; fellow workers; people in our church – or the one down the road; our neighbors; those older; those younger; those with features and assets different to ours in any and every way. For each of us the list is personal and potentially unlimited. We can be deceived, deluded or obsessed by our comparison and judgment with values from this world once we let our minds stray from the truth.
I remember the story of Belshazzar who was weighed in the balance and found wanting by God (Daniel 5:27), and in the same night slaughtered. If we believe the world alone, how will their values stand up against God’s rule when we come to our day of judgment?
Jesus – who sees us for who we really are – will one day take us into a new perfected eternal bodily form, free from comparison, sin and sorrow, with all our imperfections dealt with and cleansed.
In the interim, I believe Jesus died to set us free from enslavement to this world, its false declarations, deceptions and judgments. Today, by Grace, we can hear the truth in Him.
PRAYER: LORD, we thank You that You have given us an inner voice for You to speak into our lives today, words of guidance, life and encouragement. Set us free from delusion, doubt and sin so that, by Your Holy Spirit, we can live and move in Your will for our lives again. Amen.
By Rod Marshall
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