Micah Bemenderfer

September 23, 2023

Mark Mark

Passage Read: Galatians 1-2
Meditation Verses: 1:3-5

Thought

Jesus gave Himself to rescue us from this present evil age. Those are words you don't hear much. This present evil age. This age and time is nice, the most advanced on earth (that we know of). All kinds of modern conveniences. It's amazing! What's there to rescue us from? Back then, there were Jews who hated Christ and His followers. There were pagans who engaged in all kinds of debauchery. The Roman government in many places and from the highest levels persecuted Christians. So they had it bad. All we have is depravity and debauchery, but if you don't watch the news, you can pretend it's not real. And you're left with a near Christian utopia, where we can seek and fulfill all our dreams while believing in Jesus! This age is really pretty nice, if you look on the bright side. What's there to be rescued from? I wonder if that's why Jesus doesn't seem so relevant even to believers?

Application

I'm fooling myself if I think this age is all bright and beautiful, if any age ever was. If I think that, it's because I don't see with God's eyes, but with human eyes, comparing the worst ages with what seems like the best. If I see with God's eyes, I can't help but be shocked and disgusted and grieved over the wickedness of this age, over the lostness and wickedness of my coworkers and neighbors, no matter how nice they may present themselves. My heart is deceitful and wicked; I'm dreaming if I think it's only my heart. I need Jesus to rescue me from thinking this evil age is beautiful. I need Jesus to rescue me from glossing over the wickedness and corruption in the world around me, even right next to me and within me. I need to see the corruption so clearly that I long for Jesus to take me out of this wicked and depraved generation, and plead with the lost around me to repent and be saved from this same evil generation, until the Lord takes me out of it.

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