27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts, and I will meditate on Your wondrous works.

28 My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word!

29 Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me Your law!

— Psalm 119:27-29

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

— 1 John 2:1

4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,

7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.

— 1 Thessalonians 4:4, 7

29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.

30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

— Matthew 5:29-30

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

Sometimes doing things God’s way causes temporary pain and heartache. Growing in spiritual maturity requires dealing with personal sin. Mourning sin’s affront to God and costly consequences is not enough; we need to take action. True repentance involves turning from sin to take active steps of obedience. When we take personal sin seriously, we refuse to excuse or justify ourselves. The world’s standards tend to tempt us to compromise what God’s Word says. We need to willingly recognize our vulnerability and take drastic steps to avoid temptation. Let’s deliberately deny ourselves temporary pleasure to seek God and pursue what honors Him.

Jesus taught His disciples that it would be better to cut off a hand or foot or pluck out an eye than risk the terror of hell. We can become so accustomed to compromise that we fail to recognize sin’s peril. Pleasing God matters way much more than appeasing our sinful flesh. To what lengths will we go to turn from sin and seek holiness that honors God? The pleasure of obeying God outweighs the temporary thrill of indulging sin. Let’s take this truth into our daily life.