Daily Devotions
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. James 2:10
There is no denying that airline travel can usually save you time.
Usually.
Of course, there are times when flying can be a great disappointment. Such a time came last week when United Airlines found its U.S. airplane fleet grounded.
For hours those jets sat where they were. Of course, that means the passengers who were headed somewhere also sat where they were. The shutdown had to be frustrating for those who were trying to make connections; it had to be infuriating for those who were scheduled to attend the baptism, wedding or funeral of someone they love.
And if you’re wondering what can ground a fleet of jumbo jets? Well, the answer is a simple, albeit, surprising one. After hours of working on the problem, the situation was resolved when officials announced they had fixed a computer glitch.
Yep, you heard that right.
The costly catastrophe was caused by a teeny, tiny problem in the program that allows computers on the ground and on the planes to talk to each other.
Amazing — something so big affected by something so small.
In the passage above James said the same kind of situation happens spiritually. It’s true for humans. He wants us to know that little sins can have catastrophic results. We may try to be good people, outstanding people, folks who do their best to do the right thing.
In spite of our best efforts, we sin. True, that sin may be the smallest of transgressions, but it is enough to ground our souls and stop us from reaching our heavenly goal.
This is why we need Jesus. On our own we are helpless to fix the situation. If the problem is to be remedied, it will happen only when Jesus is involved and in control. In Bethlehem, in Jerusalem and throughout His life Jesus did that which was necessary to get us off the ground and on the route to reach heaven.
Now, because of faith in the crucified and risen Lord Jesus, we are able to get to the destination God created for us long ago.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I try to lead a good life, I really do. Sadly, the best I can do is far off the mark which You demand. So that I might be rescued from my sinful shortcomings, You sent Your Son. For Jesus’ success, I offer my thanks. In His Name. Amen.