No Fudging
It came to me today, maybe why we sinners think that God will “cut us some slack” when it comes to sin. Why we think, “well, it’s just a ‘little’ sin. It’s not as bad as…” (name your comparison); maybe why we think we can “fudge” a little on the “judgment thing.”
Didja ever play marbles? Once you start to shoot your marble, there’s no “fudging” – no moving the marble from its starting place; no “repositioning”; no moving closer to the target for a better shot. And if you mess up… well, the marble has to stay where it is.
I thought about this today as I was driving up I-40 in the middle lane, and cars were passing me on both sides. The speed limit is 60, and I was going 65. Still, cars were passing (literally) right and left!
The thought went through my mind that, “You know… they pretty much ‘give you’ 5 mph before writing a ticket, but this is ridiculous!
Then I thought back to a meeting yesterday (Methodists will understand this.) In our “apportionment” system, knowing that the Conference will never collect 100% of the apportionments allotted for all the churches, they purposely set the amount higher, so that the amount that does come in will be somewhat close to what is needed…
In apportionments as in speed limits, why can’t it just be “set” what it needs to be, and then made compulsory for everybody? No fudging.
We seem to expect to fudge a little on everything. Maybe that’s why we expect the same in our lives before God.
God does not allow “fudging.” As a friend of mine says, “It is, what it is!” Sin is sin, period. If you’ve not murdered anyone, nor stolen from anyone, but have at some point in your life, told a lie – you’re just as sinful as any murderer sitting on death row.
James says, (James 2:10) “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” No fudging.
No rationalizing, no whitewashing, no fudging. The penalty for sin is set in stone, “the wages of sin is death” no exceptions. No setting it higher so that we can get “close enough.” No “padding” it to make allowances. It must be paid. And it was. Purely through the Grace and Mercy of God, by the blood of Jesus Christ are we saved.
The difference is we want to fudge – but God wants to forgive.
Father, open our eyes to see areas of our lives where we’ve made compromises. May we, starting this very hour, remove all “fudging” from our lives. Help us to stand firm, confessing all, and seeking Your forgiveness. In Jesus’ Name – Amen.
Didja ever play marbles? Once you start to shoot your marble, there’s no “fudging” – no moving the marble from its starting place; no “repositioning”; no moving closer to the target for a better shot. And if you mess up… well, the marble has to stay where it is.
I thought about this today as I was driving up I-40 in the middle lane, and cars were passing me on both sides. The speed limit is 60, and I was going 65. Still, cars were passing (literally) right and left!
The thought went through my mind that, “You know… they pretty much ‘give you’ 5 mph before writing a ticket, but this is ridiculous!
Then I thought back to a meeting yesterday (Methodists will understand this.) In our “apportionment” system, knowing that the Conference will never collect 100% of the apportionments allotted for all the churches, they purposely set the amount higher, so that the amount that does come in will be somewhat close to what is needed…
In apportionments as in speed limits, why can’t it just be “set” what it needs to be, and then made compulsory for everybody? No fudging.
We seem to expect to fudge a little on everything. Maybe that’s why we expect the same in our lives before God.
God does not allow “fudging.” As a friend of mine says, “It is, what it is!” Sin is sin, period. If you’ve not murdered anyone, nor stolen from anyone, but have at some point in your life, told a lie – you’re just as sinful as any murderer sitting on death row.
James says, (James 2:10) “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” No fudging.
No rationalizing, no whitewashing, no fudging. The penalty for sin is set in stone, “the wages of sin is death” no exceptions. No setting it higher so that we can get “close enough.” No “padding” it to make allowances. It must be paid. And it was. Purely through the Grace and Mercy of God, by the blood of Jesus Christ are we saved.
The difference is we want to fudge – but God wants to forgive.
Father, open our eyes to see areas of our lives where we’ve made compromises. May we, starting this very hour, remove all “fudging” from our lives. Help us to stand firm, confessing all, and seeking Your forgiveness. In Jesus’ Name – Amen.
Labels: Personal Beliefs, Reflection
posted by Betty Newman at 5:49 PM
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