A hush falls over the crowd. The silence, deafening. An amateur archer pulls her bow string back. She squints, lining the target in the center of the string. Her finger twitches as she takes a deep breath, holds it, and shoots. The arrow misses the target. She did her best, but did not hit the mark.
Everyone fails at times; everyone makes mistakes.
In our modern culture, most assume their sin is caused from doing something wrong, making a mistake. But few understand that unless we’re being willful, God only sees it as missing a mark of the righteous standard He has established.
God has a plan for us, a mark to shoot at and hit. Without His Word, guidance, patience, and a love that issues second chances – look where we’d be. The Father set a mark for us to aim for, and without it, how would we know we missed?
If you’ve missed the mark, take comfort. God sees no sin as worse than any other. He equally forgives all our sins. Through the death of Jesus, the penalty was paid for all mankind. Forgiveness comes with the acknowledgement of sin. Own it, confess it, and then make a conscious decision to turn from it. It isn’t easy, but it’s the goal we strive toward. Aim for the mark and let God guide your direction.
Dana Peterson is a Kindle published author, daily devotions based on God’s biblical promises, and is working to become a full time writer for God’s Kingdom. He spends the majority of his free time reading and studying, always seeking to learn more and improve his life and character. He’s currently writing devotions, but aspires to write about prayer. Dana is married to Dolores, a wonderful woman of God. To contact Dana, please email prayer@serviceof2.com.