Our Daily Bread

Naughty but nice—or something more sinister? What is sin, and how should we feel about it?
Ezra tore his clothes, threw himself on the floor, and wept over sin. What had happened? The Israelites had finally returned home from exile, but the people, including the leaders and priests, had been intermarrying with their idol-worshipping neighbours.
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Weeping over marriages might seem like a huge overreaction. But this practice rejected God Himself. Historically, marrying into idolatrous nations was what first led God’s people astray as they soon adopted the foreign gods, morals, laws, and cultures. Ezra was devastated to see God’s people turning to walk down that path again.

Ezra saw sin—all sin—for what it really is. Big or little, secret or public, any rejection of God makes us guilty and unable to stand in His holy presence. His prayer allowed him to grieve before the Lord, peeling back sin’s attractive packaging and seeing the damage it causes.
Grieving over sin isn’t comfortable. It will force us to admit what sin really is and how it hurts God’s kingdom and us. But we will also find freedom as we see sin as God does, grieve over it,
reject it and cling more tightly to our loving, forgiving God.

Today's devotional!

Waiting for the Harvest

Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 17-18, John 3:19-36

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

Today's Scripture: Galatians 6:7-10

In 1962, Joanne Shetler and Anne Fetzer made an arduous trek by bus and foot into the rugged mountains of the Philippines to share the gospel with people who’d never heard of Jesus.

For five years, they translated Scripture into the people’s language, but the Balangao villagers weren’t receptive. They did, however, help build a primitive landing strip so new supplies could be flown in. One day, a plane dubbed “magic from another world” by the people arrived. The pilot then flew a deathly ill, pregnant village woman to a faraway clinic. When the plane later returned with the recovered woman and her healthy newborn, the people began asking about “this God” they’d been told about. Soon the village had a church full of believers in Christ.

All of us who share the story of Jesus have times of discouragement when our listeners don’t seem to hear. The apostle Paul knew that can happen. After explaining to the Galatians the importance of planting and harvesting the gospel, he recognized that a sower may grow tired. So he challenged his listeners not to “become weary in doing good” (Galatians 6:9).

The first five years of Joanne and Anne’s work was surely discouraging. But they kept sowing, and eventually they reaped a harvest. Let’s not “give up” (v. 9). Surely, the message of salvation will “reap eternal life” (v. 8).

By: Dave Branon

Reflect & Pray
Why do you sometimes grow weary in sharing the gospel? What’s your sure hope?

Dear God, please help me to hang in there and keep sowing when a loved one seems disinterested in the gospel.