Devotion Booklets for Seasons of the Church Year Advent-Christmas Devotional - 2017 - single page | Page 8

No Regrets
Tuesday, December 5th
John 8:11
Forbes Magazine ran an article a few years ago titled The 25 Biggest Regrets In Life. What Are Yours? Some
of the regrets listed off were things like: Getting involved with the wrong group of friends when I was
younger. …Not having the courage to get up and talk at a funeral or important event. …Not taking care of
my health when I had the chance.
If you were interviewed and a list of your regrets were published in Forbes or on Facebook for the world to
see, what would your list look like? Fighting with your spouse or sibling? Talking badly about your co-
workers or classmates? Spending too much time on the i-Pad, i-Phone, Droid and too little time with your
child? Spending more and saving less instead of spending less and saving more?
Imagine for a moment what it must have been like when this woman's secret, shameful, sinful lifestyle was
publicized. Can you fathom the fear as she is brought to Jesus? Can you imagine the glares she received as
the religious leaders pointed out her illicit behavior? Can you picture her face turning read and her hands
covering her face in shame?
It isn’t very hard to picture her shame, is it? You’ve felt that same rush of embarrassment and wishing you
could hide away where no one could find you too, haven’t you? Your own, “Oh I wish I wouldn’t have done
that” situations, and “If I could do that over I wouldn’t have said that” kind of mistakes too, right? Regret
after regret after regret. You know them. If that's not bad enough, your Savior knows them, all too.
And what did he do with them? He didn't raise an accusing finger but took upon himself all of the
accusations. He didn't hide from your sin. He took it upon himself. He didn't walk away from you, but
walked to the cross for you. That place where every single one of your regrets was removed. He doesn't
condemn you, but was condemned for you. Why? So that you could "Go now… Go now in the peace and
forgiveness he was born to bring. Go now in thankfulness of his life full of no regrets for you. Go now in
joyfulness because he gave his life that you would be set free from the guilt of your regrets. Go now and leave
your life of sin."
Forbes magazine can produce their lists of regrets. You may have a list of regrets, but God has removed
them because he didn't regret sending his Son for you. That's something he never regrets because he
wants you to be with him forever.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for coming into this world to pay for my sin. Fill me with your forgiveness
and empower me to leave my life of sin that I may always live for you. Amen.
Activity: Give a piece of paper to everyone at the table and have each person write down one thing they
regret from the past day. Have the head of the household collect them all…read them aloud…and
announce to everyone, Jesus has forgiven you of your sin.
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