Baptist City Blog

Have you ever had a car that you keep repairing because you don't want to have to make those monthly payments on a new car? I’m the type of person that holds on to a car as long as I can because I hate having to make monthly payments on a newer car. There have been a couple of cars I have owned that I kept too long. When I started looking at the expense of the repairs I was consistently paying out, I realized these cars just kept on taking and were not saving me any money.

Sin is just like an older car that keeps on taking. When you look at the verse above, sin took from Zion until the city had nothing left. Many people have held onto sin because they just couldn't let go of what they thought they were enjoying, not realizing that sin kept taking from them and was leaving them spiritually and physically bankrupt. The verse above shows us three things that sin takes from any person.

First, sin takes your beauty. The verse above says about Zion, “…all her beauty is departed…” In other words, sin has a way of taking your youthfulness away. How often have you come across a person and thought they were old, only to find out that they were younger than you? After spending time with that individual, you discover that they lived a life of sin, and it took their beauty from them. Sin may give you a few years of fun, but those “friends” who live that life with you will leave you when you have nothing to offer. Righteous living is that fountain of youth that keeps you from aging. Sin takes your youthfulness and leaves you broken and scarred wondering what could have been.

Second, sin takes your glory. It is sad that the princes “found no pasture.” In other words, sin caused them to lose their position. Sin always takes the glory of your innocency and position from you. There is something refreshing being around someone who is ignorant of sin’s vernacular and lifestyle. Once you go down sin’s road, you will never again reclaim the glory of innocency; instead, you will have to live with and try to overcome the images and memories sin has engraved into your memory banks.

Moreover, I’ve never found a time when sin hasn't taken position from someone. If you enjoy what you have accomplished in life, you had better stay away from sin. Sin has taken position from many and left them living in regret. You may get away with sin for awhile, but it eventually takes the glory of your position from you.

Third, sin takes your confidence. It says in the verse above, “…they are gone without strength before the pursuer.” If you've ever been around someone who has tried to recover from sin, you will always notice that their confidence is gone. Righteous living gives you the confidence to do God’s work without the worry of what someone can throw in your face. Certainly, nobody is without sin, but you can't live in sin and keep the confidence you need to see great victories.

My friend, sin is a taker. Sin is like the old worn out car that keeps taking and taking, and never gives anything in return. Let this devotional be a warning never to accept sin's offer. Sin is a taker, but righteous living gives more rewards than you could ever imagine.