NIV 365 / Meditation

The NIV 365-Day Devotional Reading Plan

Day 246 of 365 Meditation The record of human history can be viewed as the story of the conflict between the power of sin and the power of God's grace. God graciously begins by planting a garden and placing two people, Adam and Eve, there. Through their sin, evil invades and corrupts their place of blessing, forcing them away from God's presence. God's grace responds by promising to ultimately destroy the power of evil. Sin retaliates by bringing violence and bloodshed into the world and multiplying it throughout the generations. God's grace offers a childless couple a baby. Sin enslaves the children of Abraham in Egypt. Grace delivers them through the Red Sea. On and on the story goes. Sin and grace wrestle to see which side will have the upper hand. But little by little, it becomes clear that grace is establishing its position, gaining the upper hand, preparing to land its decisive and crushing blow. Grace, in the person of Jesus Christ, takes on human flesh. Sin lashes out, trying to kill the child. Grace finds a safe place for him in Egypt. Sin tempts Jesus. Grace defeats temptation. The blind see. The lame walk. Demons shriek. Sin musters its strength for one final battle, but grace wins in the most astonishing turn of events. There is One over whom sin has no power and over whom death has no hold. Only he is able to release those held hostage to the sin Adam allowed into the world. Prayer Almighty Father, thank you for leading me toward my final home with you. I pray all of this through the power and strength of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. Amen. Taken from Once a Day 40 Days to Easter Genesis 3:6-7 Genesis 3:6-7 KJV 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.