Once again, a timely thought, right on topic.
Kathy


OUR DAILY BREAD
January 18, 2004

Reality Or Illusion?
Read: Malachi 2:13-17

You say, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord."
—Malachi 2:17



I had just started to back the van away from the loading area. In my
rearview mirror I saw two
semi trucks side by side. I had plenty of clearance. Just then it
appeared that one of the
trucks was moving into my path. I stopped. But then I realized that the
other truck was
actually backing up, creating the illusion that the standing semi was
moving forward.

An illusion, according to the dictionary, is an "erroneous perception of
reality." Sleight-of-hand
artists use it to "do the impossible." Most illusions are harmless, but
some can be fatal. In a
desert, chasing a mirage that looks like water can lead to death.

But the most dangerous illusions are the spiritual and moral ones that
people are so prone to
believe. In Malachi 2, the Israelites were breaking their marriage vows
(vv.14-16). They knew
that God hates divorce (v.16), yet they were saying, "Everyone who does
evil is good in the
sight of the Lord" (v.17).

Doesn't that sound like today's culture? People believe that things like
abortion, extramarital
sex, and divorce for other than biblical reasons are morally right. Even
some Christians
believe in such illusions.

It's crucial that we allow the Bible to be the standard by which we
distinguish reality from
illusion! —Dennis De Haan


The Word of God declares what's right
And what is pleasing in His sight;
It also shows that deep within
What we call good may be a sin. —Hess

One of life's greatest illusions is that sin has no consequences.

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