Welcome to a new month! It’s September 1, 2025. Happy Labor Day! Some things in life are good for us but hard to swallow—sort of like spinach when you’re six years old and convinced it’s just a decorative plant. I used to hide it under the mashed potatoes, hoping Mom wouldn’t notice. She did. At the next meal, she sat across from me like a security agent at the airport, making sure not a single green leaf escaped my fork. Life’s essential lessons are like that—what we want to discard is often what will nourish us the most. Read on …
Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 15,16; Psalms 70; Revelation 6
Scripture
“You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your detestable practices,” says the Lord… “Yet, I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth… Then when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember ..” (Ezekiel 16:58, 60, 63)
Observation
Ezekiel doesn’t flinch—God offers forgiveness, but He doesn’t erase the natural consequences of sin. We often wish He would. We’d rather sweep our mistakes under the rug, like spinach under mashed potatoes, and pretend they’re gone. But consequences teach lessons that grace alone cannot. They carve character, deepen gratitude, and remind us that freedom is never a license to live recklessly.
The real danger is reshaping God into a “get-out-of-jail-free” idol—one who erases both sin and consequence so we can keep living on our own terms. But that only leads to deeper wounds and a longer sentence of regret.
Application
God’s forgiveness is instant and complete, but His wisdom allows me to feel the weight of my choices so I can grow. Instead of resenting His discipline, I can thank Him for loving me enough to let me learn from my missteps. Grace isn’t about escaping responsibility—it’s about embracing it with humility, trusting that God will redeem even the hardest parts of my story.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for forgiving me when I fall short. Please help me not to resent the lessons that come with my mistakes. Teach me to walk in humility and to own the consequences of my choices. Teach me to trust that You can turn even my consequences into building blocks for a stronger character and a closer walk with You. Amen.
-Wayne Cordeiro
Sign up to receive Pastor Wayne's devotions daily
