2003-01-23 - Before Sundown

Eph 4:26-27 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,²⁷and do not give the devil an opportunity. (NAS)

If you've ever been angry before and felt bad about it, welcome to the human race. If you have ever been justifiably angry with someone, welcome to the human race. If you have never been angry with anyone at all at anytime in your entire life I want to meet you.

Jesus was angry. He bodily threw the money changers out of the Temple in Jerusalem. He didn't even say He was sorry. But there is no doubt in my mind that he was furious with the treatment of His Father's house. It was supposed to be a house of prayer and the Gentile Court was being treated like a market. He was angry with the Pharisees and Sadducees for trying to trap Him in an answer to a question. Let me see,... "Hypocrites!" "Ye fools and blind...". Yep. There are not many other ways to read that. That's angry.

Be angry at sin. That covers a multitude of things from legislation that treats sin as a right, to the killing of innocent people in a war, to your bosses rude comment toward you in front of his peers that got a laugh. But also be ready to be just as angry at your own sin! If we are honest we will have to admit that most days we probably sin before our feet hit the floor. While we have justification to be angry with soldiers who spray bullets into churches and orphanages, all we have to do is peruse the daily events in our hearts and minds to know that we are hardly acting as the Princes and Princesses of the Kingdom of God that we are supposed to be.

Do not let the sun go down on your anger. Find your friend, spouse, co-worker, (place the offended party of your choice here) and be willing to say, "I'm sorry." Those two tiny words are powerful. They tear down walls and crush barriers of hurt and offense. If you are the offended party be willing to go to your offender and talk. Get things out on the table privately before the anger festers into a deep seated wound that requires much more careful attention to heal.

When it comes down to the bottom line we are all simply sinners saved by grace walking the same narrow road to meet the same Savior. Keep your eye fixed on the goal.

Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law (KJV)

Lord Jesus - teach us to keep short accounts with all men to keep the lines of communication open and your love going out to the world. Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Mike

jmhoskins@gmail.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org