November 19, 2020 CAC Living Water Devotional : Topic – DEFILEMENT OF THE EARTH THROUGH OUR SIN
Read previous CAC Living Water Devotionals here
LIVING WATER CAC DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Thursday, November 19, 2020 – World Toilet Day
DEFILEMENT OF THE EARTH THROUGH OUR SIN
Read: Isaiah 24:5
MEMORISE:
The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant (Isaiah 24:5)
EXPOSITION
Quite often, we think that our sins affect only ourselves, or at most, the people whom we transgress against. Yet, Isaiah 24:5 speaks of how our sins are able to defile the earth. Toilets are there to help us avoid defiling our surroundings with human wastes (Remember, this is World Toilet Day). God can never be happy with the way people defile the earth with their endless sins. Indeed, the effects of our sins can be much more far-reaching than we think. This is because the Christian faith is not the faith of an individual but a shared faith. The next time we are tempted to sin, it might do us well to think about the drastic consequences it could bring to ourselves, to our family members, to our community, and even to the public witness of the faith.
At that moment, we cry out for the strength and grace of God to help us overcome. One of the most widespread and yet seldom spoken of sin among Christians is sexual sin (e.g. pornography). It remained largely unspoken because of the potential shame it brings, especially in our modern society. However, the consequences of sexual sin are insidiously far reaching. Not only does it affect the individual, family, and community, it also promotes a wrong sense of men’s view of women, and vice versa.
God’s creation is insulted. The series of sin humanity is committing in the name of civilisation – homosexuality, legalisation of abortion and incest, legalisation of lottery, etc. is defiling the land and the earth God has given man to inhabit. The image of God is distorted and abused for personal pleasures. Indeed, let us pray that our churches will put in more resources on purity and blamelessness in the Christian life. This will come in a big way to help all of us live in purity for the Lord.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Lord, help us to be awakened to the truth that the effects of our sins can be much more far-reaching than we think.
2. O Lord, cultivate in us the eagerness to live in purity by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.
3. Lord, reveal Yourself to our leaders and turn their hearts toward You.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Ezekiel 8 – 11