Passed Over - Martin Wiles

In honor of the LORD your God, always celebrate the Passover at the proper time in early spring. Deuteronomy 16:1 NLT

Having a team captain choose team members can be a frightening occurrence. 

Sports were never my thing. I suppose my build fought against my involvement. While I loved to attend games and watch sporting events on television, I never played a single one from first grade through graduation. Neighborhood games and PE classes were my only connection—and I hated both. Neighborhood friends never picked me first. Neither did team captains. I was too skinny…too shy. So I settled for being passed over until the very last. 

Being passed over can damage a young person’s emotions. Feelings of inadequacy surface quickly and often. These feelings affected more than my involvement in sports. They transferred over into academic life and also into my relationship. As a teen, they affected my dating habits. Not until I became a young adult did my view of myself change. 

For the Israelites living in Egyptian slavery, being passed over was a good thing. It meant the death angel—traveling through the land killing the Egyptians’ oldest children along with the firstborn of all their animals, would pass over their homes. He would see the blood they had splattered on the door frame and keep going. 

I didn’t enjoy being passed over by the popular girls or the team captains, but I am glad God was willing to pass over me when it came time to deal with my sins. Focusing on God’s love is easy; realizing there is a holy wrath side of His nature is more difficult—yet biblical. 

Like everyone, I was born with a sinful nature and also born responsible to God. Since God is holy, He can’t be associated with sin. Sin made me unworthy to serve on His team. Yet He was willing to pass over that if I’d do my part. For the Israelites in Egypt, it meant sacrificing an animal and spreading its blood on their door frames. For me, it entails accepting what God allowed His Son to do on Calvary’s cross—pay my sin debt. 

Knowing what Christ did isn’t enough. I have to incorporate Him into my life. Being on the team doesn’t automatically happen. 

Is God passing over your sin because you are in Christ? 

Prayer: Father, we thank You that in Christ You will pass over our sins. We are no longer under condemnation. 

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