Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you." John 5:14

Most of us have had ideas that seemed good at the time but, in retrospect, left a lot to be desired.

There is a 41-year-old man in Mandeville, Louisiana, who feels that way right about now. Let me tell you his story.

The man had an argument with his wife. He wanted to blow off some steam so he went outside and fired a shotgun at the fence around his house.

It was his property, his fence, his gun. The unnamed man felt pretty good about himself. He felt really good until the policeman showed up.

The police showed up when the neighbors heard gun shots and called the authorities.
Of course, the man explained that he was only shooting his own fence.

And the police said that "'shooting his own fence'" was against the law.

They arrested the man for illegally discharging a weapon, for aggravated criminal damage to property, and the disturbance of the peace.

And what does all this go to prove? Simply this. More often than not, when we human beings try to fix ourselves, we usually make things worse rather than better. Adam and Eve took a shot at wisdom and ended up with sin. Moses struck the stone rather than spoke to it as God had directed. That bit of disobedience cost him the Promised Land.

The truth is we can't help ourselves. If we are to be forgiven, it will be by Jesus' sacrifice. If we are to be redeemed, it will be because we are washed in Jesus' blood. If we are to spend eternity in heaven, it will be because Jesus has taken us by the hand and brought us there.

So there you have it. We can get better -- if we let Jesus take control.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, we come to You today giving thanks Your Son has entered this world to fix all that we have broken. During this holy season, forgive my sinfulness, my arrogance, my independence. Turn me, Lord, and let me give thanks for the greatness of Your grace. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Deuteronomy 20-22    Luke 6:1-26

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