v. 24 – Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.

Devotional:

Have you ever been blamed for something you didn’t do? How did you handle it? I bet you responded with grace and compassion like you always do. Me too! Every. Time…

Have you ever been blamed for something you actually did? How did you respond to it? Did you immediately lay down your arms and surrender in repentance? Did you jump at the mercy of those who you wronged, admitting all fault? Yeah. Again, me too…

The point is, we don’t like being blamed for things. Hating blame, dodging blame, and blame-shifting are tactics as old as sin, literally. When God confronts Adam in the garden after he had eaten of the forbidden tree and shame set in through nakedness, God asks, “’Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?’ The man said, ‘The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.’ Then the LORD God said to the woman, ‘What is this that you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate’” (Genesis 3:11-13).

Adam nor eve was interested in taking the blame for what they had done. This is just another reason why what Christ has done for us on the cross is so remarkable. He took the blame for our sin so we could have credit for His righteousness. Let’s read that again:

Jesus took the blame for our sin so we could have credit for his righteousness.

Don’t just breeze right past that. Let me ask you this while you are sitting there with your cup of coffee: Do you have any idea what Jesus has done for you? Really?

I am not talking about your run-of-the-mill “God loves you so he sent Jesus to die for you” Instagram post at Easter time. I am talking about the real thing. I am talking about the blood- soaked atrocity of the cross of Calvary. I am talking about the creation-splitting, earthquake-making, dead-people-getting- up-out-of-the-grave-and-walking-around-the-city event that happened 2000 years ago. I am talking about the Holy God of all perfection having every ounce of His perfection honored, upheld, and satisfied through volunteering Himself to be murdered. For us.

I am talking about credit and blame. I am talking about the person who has had all the credit for every good thing ever done. Every good name ever given, every good deed ever accomplished, and every flower that blooms or bird that sings or star that radiates or every wave that crashes declaring God’s infinite glory is rightfully His claim. The Son has since forever past received credit for the creation and operation of all things. All of them.

He is the one who deserves the credit and, He has been getting the credit since forever.

He took all the blame. All of it. He took the blame. The blame for what, you ask. Well, everything.

Whose blame, you ask. Well, the blame of everyone who will believe. Your blame and my blame, all of it for all of us who are His beloved. Dang, He is good.

REFLECTION:

When was the last time you blamed someone or something else for your sin? Write down any sin God wants you to acknowledge and repent of today along with a prayer of gratitude that He took it all upon Himself.