Sail on

Romans 11:6 (New Living Translation)

And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.
In the world we live in, we often feel that if we don’t earn it, we will never have it. Life has trained us that way. When it comes to freedom from the wages of sin, it doesn’t work like that.

Let’s get something straight, sorry to say it, but we are all sinners. Sin means falling short of God’s plan for our lives. No one, except for Christ, has ever pulled that off. When asked what sins we have committed we may get defensive and starting naming all the ones we have not committed.
I’ve never killed anyone, l o n g p a u s e …… The list may end pretty short for some of us, me included. God’s not keeping score, He doesn’t have to, we have all fallen way short of His desire for our lives.

The big mistake many people make is to try and find things they can do to “make up for” their sins.
We give to charity, volunteer for worthy causes, try to save the earth, the whales, the snail darter.
We give to the poor, to the church, to the United Way and the Boy Scouts. Those are all great things to do, but they don’t wash away the stains left by our sin.

Thankfully God has a plan, by-the-way, He always has a plan! This was the greatest plan of all,
that He would give His only Son to come to earth to live among us and serve as an example and teacher, and then to be accused of sins and crimes He never committed and to accept the punishment for those sins, death on the cross.

The Good News is that He didn’t remain in the grave! In three days, He rose again and appeared to His followers, and many others. God said the price for sin is death, and He sent His Son to die for all of us once to end all payment for sin, forever. Like any gift of grace you must accept it for it to be of any value. You cannot work off you sin debt, you can’t do enough good to offset it.

Fortunately, the solution is easy. Say, “thank you Lord for your forgiveness, I accept it with a humble heart, I confess my sins and accept your forgiveness, please come and live in my heart.”
Amen

Why live with the burden of your sins past, maybe it’s time to sail on…………..

the pilgrim

*Photo note: Nikon D40 with the Nikkor 18-200 zoom lens set at 200mm.