Hope Chapel
  • Home
  • Blog
    • Sermon Videos
    • Parents Corner
    • CREW Blog
  • About
    • Children's Ministries
    • Youth Ministries
    • Connected Organizations
  • Calendar
  • Donate
  • Contact
    • Join Our Newsletter
  • Blog

Hope Chapel Blog

Learning and living the Way of Jesus!

‘Human Hearts in the Grip of Sin’

5/31/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture

​Daily Devotional – Monday, May 31, 2021

“All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me.” (John 14:23-24a, NLT)

Ever since the first man and woman rebelled against God, humanity’s condition is one of utter depravity. Sin has infected the ‘good’ of God’s creation; we are left now to wrestle with the resulting chaos in nature and with a spiritual cancer that has infected the heart of every human being who has ever lived…yours and mine, too. We as a race, under the unchecked influence of sin, are each capable of unspeakable evil…yes, all of us. Take a recent discovery that made the news this weekend: the remains of 215 children have been found at one of Canada’s residential schools. Many of us are left deeply grieved and angry. This is what humanity apart from God is capable of…and worse.

As I’ve read the articles that have been written in quick succession over this past weekend and people’s responses, I note that many are quick to condemn the government and religious institutions for the mind-boggling abuses that were perpetrated and then for the years of willful resistance to uncover the truth. There are definitely some hard questions that need to be answered and dare I say other ‘skeletons’ to expose. We should be demanding answers of those organizations that allowed abuse to occur, not only unchecked, but state-sanctioned. Canada’s history is in fact littered with stories that make modern-day Canadians cringe as they are unearthed. Canada’s First Nations, Afro-Canadians, Eastern European immigrants (WWI) and those of Japanese descent (WWII) have all endured the ugliness of humanity in the Canadian context. Stories of past historical atrocities can shock us for the sheer disregard of human life. And lest we think that this is all in the past, think again!

We look for someone to take the blame when these abuses come to light; after all shouldn’t someone have to answer for and pay for these crimes? In this weekend’s headlines, I have noted the accusations flung at the Catholic Church. Many priests and nuns have been guilty of the abuse, having participated actively or through their silence. The fact that their crimes were committed while ‘doing work in the name of God’ makes the abuse that much more heinous. Our reactions, however, do not get to the root of the issue. The uncovering of these past abuses has exposed for all the world to see a great fallacy that has been and continues to be rampant, especially in our Christian communities—that somehow religious affiliation can replace relationship with God; that the appearance of religiosity is sufficient without a transformation of heart; that humanity is capable of defeating the sin nature within all of us simply through ‘good works’ without giving control over our lives to God.
​
People were created in God’s image, but that image has become corrupted. The spiritual cancer of sin has infected us all. There is no escaping it on our own, and as much as we want someone to blame, the pointed finger will always bend itself back around to point at each one of us. Only by turning to the One who made us and loves us will we ever escape the grip of sin on our hearts. God knows the difference between those who call themselves ‘Christians’ and those who have actually submitted themselves to obeying Him. We may fool one another, we may even convince ourselves, but there is no getting this one by God. We can either accept God’s help to control the sin that is in our lives or remain susceptible to its deadly ruination.
~ Pastor Jane
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Pastor Jane 

    First licensed for pastoral ministry in 1994, Pastor Jane Peck has served in camp and church ministries in three denominations, five provinces and in a variety of roles.  Her most recent position is that of Pastor at Hope Chapel which she began in 2020.  She is excited to see what God can and will do in the days to come!

    Archives

    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020

    Categories

    All
    Addiction
    Agape Love
    Angels
    Armour Of God
    Correction
    Creation
    Devotionals
    Disappointment
    Discipleship
    Faith
    Fear
    Filling Up
    Forgiveness
    Generosity
    Gifts Of The Spirit
    Gospel
    Holy Spirit
    Honour
    Humility
    Idolatry
    Jesus
    Justice
    Lent
    Love
    Meditations
    Mental Health
    Mercy
    News And Updates
    Patience
    Peace
    Prayer
    Prayer Emphasis Week
    Pride
    Protection
    Redemption
    Rejection
    Rejoicing
    Relationships
    Repentance
    Revelations
    Self Worth
    Series: Be Different
    Series: Doing Life With Jesus
    Series: In The Beginning
    Series: “Our Family Tree Through The Bible In 2021"
    Series: The Bible Jesus' Story
    Servanthood
    Sin
    Suffering
    Sunday Notes
    Thanksgiving
    The Great Commission
    The Trinity
    The Word
    Wisdom
    Worship

    More Blogs

    Parents Corner
    CREW Blog
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Blog
    • Sermon Videos
    • Parents Corner
    • CREW Blog
  • About
    • Children's Ministries
    • Youth Ministries
    • Connected Organizations
  • Calendar
  • Donate
  • Contact
    • Join Our Newsletter
  • Blog