Read Mark 9:42
I Hate This Verse!
Jesus said, “If anyone causes one of these little ones, those who believe in me, to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.”
I hate this verse because it reminds me of my past. Don’t get me wrong. If you knew me as a kid, or a teen or even into my adult hood, you might conclude that I was a “nice” person. But as I look at my past, there are things I’ve done I’m not proud about. There are the secret sins or secret comments I made to others that have hurt them and given a bad name to Jesus. And as I reflect, I feel I deserve to have a large millstone hung around my neck and to be drowned into the sea. Would I like to stand up before everyone and share these things? Nope!! Not at all!! I can’t live there. Satan wants me to live in the past and remind me of my past. If he can get me to dwell there, then I’m ineffective in my Christian walk because I’m dwelling on guilt and shame, and feeling unworthy and undeserving.
I told you I hate this verse because it reminds me of my past and what I feel I deserve. But praise be to God for Romans 8:1-2 that says that now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ for he has set us free from the law of sin and death and into a new life.
Satan wants me to live in the past but Jesus wants me to live in his loving and forgiving arms where there is no condemnation. This honestly makes me smile because all my past is forgiven and God gives me new opportunities to live for him, to learn, to grow and impact new lives for Jesus. Yes, I want to learn from my past mistakes but not live there. I want to live in today and receive all that Christ has for me today and tomorrow. Thank you Jesus that there is no more condemnation. I’m free! I’m free to live for and serve the Lord again!
I have a visual in my mind and it’s this: let’s all hold hands and walk together out of our past while smiling because of what awaits us in Christ Jesus: a new life in him where there is no condemnation.
