Sin Found Out

TITLE: Sin Found Out
DATE: November 19, 2018
TEXT: Numbers 32:23  (ESV) - 23 But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.
​
The night of September 20th, a burglar broke into a restaurant in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Things went well…at first. The thief used a brick to shatter the front window of the carryout place. Then, after having gotten in, he used the same brick to smash the glass protecting the counter.

Twice he threw the brick and twice, the glass held.

Then, using a wind up and delivery like a major league baseball player, he let the brick fly a third time. The brick bounced off the bulletproof glass and hit the burglar in the head. He clutched his noggin, dropped to the floor and stayed there, unmoving for a few minutes. Eventually, he staggered to his feet, picked up his brick and made an empty-handed escape.
In the words of Numbers 32:23, “His sin had found him out.’ It usually does.

After Adam and Eve fell into temptation they hid from the Lord… but He found them. Our first-parents sin had found them out.

After Cain killed his brother he did his best to hide his crime. Scripture says, ‘Abel’s blood called from the ground’ to the Lord and God had a serious visit with the world’s first murderer. Cain’s sin had found him out.

In the days of the early church everybody took all they had and threw it into a common pot. Well, almost everybody. Ananias and Sapphira decided to keep some of their fortune for a rainy day and they lied to the church and the Holy Spirit.  They were both struck down because their sin had found them out.

Now the folks I’ve mentioned here are not the unique. They are the rule, rather than the exception. Since we want people to think well of us, most of us prefer not to put our sins, like our dirty laundry, on display for the perusal of everyone who passes by.

Surprisingly, the cover ups of our sins usually work. People have no idea how bad we really are.

People don’t know the real us, but the Lord Who searches the heart, most certainly does see the inner us, the real us. He sees the blackness of our actions and knows our transgressions inevitably will lead to perdition.  
Which is why He sent His Son into the world.

Jesus’ life, His suffering, His unfair death and glorious resurrection were designed not to cover up our sins, but to take them away. Permanently. Completely. Absolutely.

When our souls have been rescued by the Redeemer, we no longer have to hide and we no longer need fear the verdict which will be pronounced on the final day of judgment. Why? Saint Paul said it best in 1st Corinthians 6 11b. Having written down a laundry list of sins which can stop a soul from getting into heaven, Paul gave the assurance: “And such(sinners) were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

In other words, God’s grace has found us out.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks that although my many sins cannot be hidden, they can be erased. For the supreme and selfless act of the Savior’s sacrifice which has won my salvation I give thanks. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

The above devotion was inspired by a number of sources, including one written by SCOTT BERSON for the Miami Herald on October 03, 2018.  Those who wish to reference this article may do so at the following link, which was fully functional at the time this devotion was written: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article219415150.html