March 11

Morning

Did that which is good, then, become death to me? Certainly not! But in order that sin might be exposed as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. — Rom 7:13 BSB

Beware of treating sin lightly. When we first come to faith, our conscience is tender, and we are afraid of even the smallest sin. Young believers have a holy fear, a deep concern that they might offend God. But sadly, over time, the sensitivity of those first fruits is often worn away by the rough handling of the world around us. What begins as a tender conscience can become pliant and too easily compromised, like a once-sensitive plant that now bends too easily.

It’s unfortunate but true—even Christians can gradually become so desensitized that the sins which once startled them no longer cause alarm. Sin has a way of creeping in slowly, just as someone who grows used to loud noises stops noticing smaller sounds. At first, a little sin shocks us, but soon we begin to say, “Isn’t it just a small thing?” Then one small sin leads to a bigger one, and soon we start to view sin as insignificant. This can lead to an unholy sense of security, where we excuse our failings by saying, “Well, I haven’t done anything major.” We cloak our sin, call it by gentler names, and convince ourselves it’s nothing serious.

Christian, beware of how you view sin. Be careful not to fall step by step into greater wrongdoing. Sin, a little thing? Is it not a deadly poison? Who knows its full power to destroy? Even small sins can ruin the fruit of our spiritual lives. Just as small foxes ruin the vineyard or tiny drops of water wear away a stone, little sins can have devastating effects over time. Sin may seem small, but it crowned our Savior’s head with thorns and pierced His heart. It caused Him unbearable suffering. If you could weigh even the smallest sin in the balance of eternity, you would flee from it as from a serpent and hate even the slightest appearance of evil. Look at every sin as the thing that crucified your Savior, and you will see how terrible it really is.

Evening

And they will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of The LORD; and you will be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken. — Isa 62:12 BSB

God’s overwhelming grace is evident not just in the fact that we were sought after but that we were “sought out.” It’s one thing to seek for something lost in the house—it’s another to seek out something lost in filth or far away. We were not just lost; we were deeply buried in sin, like a precious jewel dropped into a filthy sewer. And God, in His love, stirred through the muck of this world to find us.

We were not just lost—we were utterly lost, wandering far away from the fold. And when the message of mercy came to us, it didn’t find us easily. We were so lost, so far gone, that even the Good Shepherd had to search far and wide to track us down. Yet, in His grace, we were sought out! No darkness could hide us, no sin could conceal us. His love was relentless, and the Holy Spirit found us and brought us home.

The stories of some of God’s people, if they were fully told, would fill us with amazement at the lengths God went to in order to save them. But God never gives up on His search for His chosen ones. His almighty power and wisdom make no mistakes—His people are called and found. They aren’t just sought today and forgotten tomorrow. No, they are “sought out” by grace that never gives up. It’s pure grace that any of us should be sought out at all, but that we were sought out personally is grace beyond measure. There’s no reason for it except God’s sovereign love. So tonight, we can only lift our hearts in wonder and gratitude, praising Him that we bear the name “Sought out.”