If you list the things in the universe that are completely good all...
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
"A Little Good, a Little Bad"
May 17, 2017
Isaiah 1:18 - Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
If you list the things in the universe that are completely good all of the time, the list is going to be a short one: God.
Because of sin everything else around us has a fair number of bad qualities. Would you like an example? I hope so, because if you don't, this devotion is going to be a short one. The example I place before you is a simple one: the larvae of wax moths. Yes, it's true: the larvae of wax moths.
The bad quality about wax moths has been known for a long time: wax moth larvae like to eat beeswax.
That may not seem to be a bad thing to you, but to a beekeeper and to honeybees it can be incredibly frustrating. I think there can be nothing so disheartening for the busy, little bee than to return to a ruined hive, which has been used as a lunch smorgasbord for a crew of ravenous wax moth larvae.
That's the bad thing about wax moth larvae. Here's the good: apparently, they like to eat plastic.
Yes, plastic, you know, the non-biodegradable stuff that fills up the bellies of whales and starves them to death; the environmentally unfriendly stuff that gets wrapped around, and eats into, the flippers of turtles; the stuff which has transformed giant areas of the earth's oceans into garbage dumps.
Right now studies are being done to find out if the wax moth larvae get any real nourishment out of consuming plastic. Tests are being run to see if it would be possible to place hoards of the voracious, little beasties onto heavily contaminated sites, so they might help purify the planet.
If that happens, the lowly wax moth larvae may find his status -- and star -- have risen considerably.
Yes, everything in life has some bad in it, and that's totally bad news for us. You see, a partially good person doesn't get into the kingdom of heaven. One sin, even the smallest of sins, is enough to besmirch our souls and make us unfit to be in the presence of the Holy Lord. And you should know our transgressions are far more numerous than one, single, itty-bitty indiscretion.
All of this explains why we need the transforming power of the Savior. Washed in His blood, our scarlet sins are made as white as snow; our dark transgressions are completely and totally removed from our souls.
In the eyes of God -- and those are really the only eyes that count -- we have been made clean enough to stand before the just Judge and have Him -- because of His Son's work -- declare us righteous and ready to enter His eternal presence.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, truly sin had corrupted me absolutely and thoroughly. There was nothing good inside me. Accept my thanks for transforming me, for cleansing and saving me. May I sing Your praises always. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen
Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
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