But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. (2 Corinthians 3:16, NIV)
“How do you know until you try it?”
Nine out of 10 of us heard these words growing up. Our mamas had worked hard at preparing a new dish for dinner, and they met our resistance with this coaxing question.
How clear is your vision today? Are you seeing your life as you should?We heard the question again—or something like it—when we considered playing golf for the first time. A friend was in love with the game, told us we needed to get out there, heard the reluctance in our response, and urged us to give the game a chance. Now we’d never go back.
A similar hesitation comes into play with those who have yet to say yes to Jesus. They’ve heard of him, maybe seen “him” in a movie. Their grandparents profess to believe. But they’re not so sure. Their world seems just fine without him.
What this hesitation often means is that our unbelieving friend is in love. They are in love with their sin or in love with their righteousness.
Those in love with their sin live, Paul wrote, according to the flesh. Quite literally at times. They gratify the desires that their bodies beg to have met. Food. Drink. Sex. The approval of men tells them that they make a fun friend or look good in those clothes. As long as they can go to bed telling themselves they haven’t really hurt anyone, that’s enough. They’ll lay their head on the pillow and wake up to do it all again tomorrow.
Those in love with their righteousness look like the very people Paul spoke of in his second letter to the Corinthians: law-abiding Jews. In many ways, these people deserved the praise that came their way. After all, it was God’s laws they were following. Their discipline may have been unparalleled. But their thinking was all wrong. It assumed a connection to God on the basis of one’s own excellence. It fed an I-can-do-what-you-cannot pride.
Those living in either state do not see what God meant for them to see: the truth about God’s unconditional love for them. It is a love that forgives the sinner and frees the self-obligated. But when a veil covers your eyes, your vision is worthless.
Then comes Jesus. Turn to him and the veil falls away. We can see the weight of our sin and our righteousness both. But now they are behind us and we are walking toward our Savior!
How clear is your vision today? Are you seeing your life as you should? Perhaps what you really need is to see and say yes to Jesus.
—
Jeff Hopper
October 10, 2017
Copyright 2017 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.