Astonished by Sin

It seems true to me that most of the people I know who are appalled by certain sins of the people around them have not had much experience of being appalled by their own sins. The failures and rebellions and attitudes they themselves have or have had, and the connection between their failures and the means by which Jesus donated His blood to save them from paying for them isn’t appalling to them yet.

The vastness of space traversed by His love and the sacrifice it drove Him to make to pay for the filthiness of our hearts and minds and hands is shamefully astonishing. Taking it for granted rather than being continually astonished by His love and our need can prevent us not only from a proper appreciation of it, but also from a proper application of it in our lives. This can leave us on the threshold of the Kingdom – having entered by becoming like little children, but in perpetual need of clean diapers.

Developing a deep relationship with Jesus as the Head of His body, and developing deep relationships with other members of His body are only optional in the minds of little children. Finding who He desires us to be and to work with will draw us into a maturity that amounts to both character and fruitfulness.

Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head—Christ. From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.
(Ephesians 4:14-16 HCSB ©®)

Greater appreciation for His blessings creates space in which greater blessings are given.