How has original sin distorted me? And how does indwelling sin manipulate me?
Original sin causes me to forget about God. The distortion of my mind and heart causes me to look first on the lateral level. I take in my immediate surroundings and strategize my navigation. It’s all self-directed. Without the distortion of original sin my first impulse would be to look up. I would seek the eyes of my Lord. I would instinctively know that in his eyes I would find wisdom. Looking into his eyes would settle me, give me perspective —set my course.
But I have indwelling sin and it daily seeks to manipulate me. No sooner do my feet hit the ground and my thoughts are way out in front of me. My sinful distortion often plays out in the form of worry. I can start out with the personal, familial ones that begin to radiate out into the cosmos. The weight of a broken world can sit on top of my shoulders.
I am so thankful that God’s grace permeated my heart —filling it with his Holy Spirit. This is my redeemed side. This is the side that takes captive those runaway thoughts and reminds me to look up. Those eyes are so comforting. They bid me to speak. They ask me to unburden my heart and they assure me that I am heard. Those eyes are strong, clear, wise and tenderly affective. They offer me peace in the midst of uncertainty, confidence that they know all things and trust that they are at the helm. Original sin’s manipulations are not working today. I am looking up!
“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” Philippians 3:20-21 ESV
