Tag: sin

Steak and Oatmeal

I’ve mentioned before that my eyes are becoming weaker. Sometimes I wear a pair of reading glasses when I’m just doing stuff around the house. I really should wear them more often in the kitchen.

I like steak. My sweet husband Tim would prefer to have steak at every meal when he isn’t eating Mexican. I enjoy the treat every now and then.

I also enjoy oatmeal with cinnamon and blueberries. Just a splash of almond milk (or whatever milk is in the fridge.) It warms me.

The other day I was preparing some oatmeal. The oats were in the bowl and I picked up what I thought was cinnamon. I could tell as soon as I sprinkled some that it was not. It was steak seasoning. Garlic, pepper, salt…. Nothing you want in your oatmeal.

I hadn’t sprinkled much. It would have been easy to just remove the tainted oats. I could even see where the seasoning was if I had put on my glasses.

But I didn’t.

I reasoned that it wasn’t that much. I added extra cinnamon and some honey just to be sure I wouldn’t be able to taste the steak seasoning.

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that it tasted awful. It was a nasty combination of mushy oats with garlic and honey.

And yet, I ate it. I was hungry and thought that it would eventually get better.

It didn’t. I finally dumped a spoonful or two into the garbage. But I had eaten nearly the entire bowl.

Why did I continue to scoop the disgusting concoction into my mouth?

I think it was because I stopped thinking. I was going through the motions and wasn’t thinking on purpose.

There were multiple opportunities for me to get rid of the root of the nasty taste in my oatmeal. But I didn’t take them. The best time, of course, would have been when I first discovered my error.

And so it is with my sin. When I say something that is hurtful, rude, or gossip, I should stop immediately. I need to recognize it for what it is and apologize. I should remove the tainted oats.

When I do something ‘in secret,’ I often try to cover my actions with lies. I tell one lie after another. I should just be honest from the beginning. Then I wouldn’t have to remember which lie I told to whom.

How often do I try to cover it up? I try to make it more pleasant by heaping sweet and pleasant things on top of it. Or I ignore the problem and just go through the motions of living.

That’s not how I want to live. I am a daughter of the Most High God. My life is to reflect Christ. I need to change.

Oh, Holy Spirit! Search me! Point out anything that isn’t of You and convict me. Then change me with more of You and less of me. Help me to immediately remove the tainted oats in my life.

Help Me to See

As my age increases, my eyesight decreases and I can’t stand it.

My friend needed glasses at an earlier age and she tried to explain to me what she saw. At that time, I didn’t understand everything being in a constant state of blurriness.

And now I do.

When I first put on my new prescription glasses, it was amazing to see things so sharply. Everything had an edge to it.

Without the glasses, I could maneuver and get by. With the glasses, I see the colors and shapes and details so much better. It adds beauty in my life that I didn’t know was missing.

I thought about this richness as I was reading Leviticus this morning.

There are rules, festivals, and sacrifices – so many sacrifices! The movie version of the ark is gold and shiny. After reading this book, I can only see it dripping in blood.

There is so much detail in the description of the sacrifices – who, what, when, how answered over and over again. I do not know how the priests kept it straight! Do I pour the blood – or sprinkle the blood? Which finger do I use? Is this for the sin offering? The guilt offering? For my sins? The peoples sins?

I have asked God to open my eyes and to let me see what He wants me to see when I read His word. Some things have come into focus.

God reminded the people again and again that He was the Lord, the One who brought them out of Egypt. He reminded them that they were chosen and they were to live differently than the people around them. They were to offer sacrifices to Him only. The sacrificed animal was to be perfect and without blemish.

Jesus was the final perfect sacrifice. One without sin who was sacrificed for my sins. His blood was splattered for my transgressions.

I think the Lord is showing me through Leviticus that on my own, I cannot atone for my sins. No matter how good I think I am or how clean I am, I am not able to pay for my own sins. Because I am not perfect.

But God. He made a way for you and me to be in a right relationship with Him. Jesus stepped in for us and was offered as the final and complete sacrifice for our sins. My sins are paid for – past, present and future.

When I focus in on this detail, I am overwhelmed at the love He has for me. I am so grateful and marvel at the detail, the beauty of this.

Do you know this beauty, this love? He made a way for us all to have eternal life with Him. Thank you, Jesus!