Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional “Not Guilty” for Tuesday, 23 December 2014 - Scripture: John 3:16-18

Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional “Not Guilty” for Tuesday, 23 December 2014 - Scripture: John 3:16-18 “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.
The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.[Romans 6:23 (NRSV)]
In Mesto Vstrechi (the Russian edition of The Upper Room), I met a sister from New Mexico (Oct. 4, 2012) who encouraged us to pray for “complacent church members.” I began to think about each of our church members and tried to sort out the complacent ones. For some reason, I could think of no one. But surely there must be someone? I thought. Again I considered everyone in my church, and since I could think of no one else, I decided that I must be the guilty one.
The feeling of guilt is a continual struggle for me — to accuse myself of everything bad. I could not escape from this habit even when I discovered salvation in the Lord. I know that the Lord died a painful death to save people from the burden of guilt and sin. But still I struggled with self-accusation.
Probably others have the same problem. But each of us can receive freedom from guilt when we are able to fully accept and believe the word of the Lord. I am grateful to this sister from New Mexico and to the staff of Mesto Vstrechi. They have helped me today to hear the Lord bless me with words that give me peace and make me feel grateful: “I love you so much that I have sent my son to take away your sins and guilt.” (See John 3:16.)
The Author: Roza Tyu (Moscow, Russia)
Thought for the Day: Christ offers forgiveness. Do I accept it?
Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to trust your promises so that we might feel the fullness of your joy. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those weighed down by guilt
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