“Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.” (Ezek. 18:30)

I TWISTED MY ANKLE when I slipped walking across a ramp where I worked. The full extent of the injury became apparent over the next few hours, eventually requiring a trip (no pun intended) to a walk-in clinic later that day. Although recovery came with the use of crutches, lingering weakness remained weeks later. One day while going down the step into my garage, holding my infant son in my arms, I felt my ankle give out. Thankfully, I was able to twist myself around and slow my descent so neither my son nor I was harmed in the fall.

Sin is the worst fall of all. God created us in His image, according to Genesis 1:27. However, this image was broken when Adam and Eve fell into sin, disobeying God’s direct order (Gen. 3). This spiritual brokenness has remained in the entire human family; every human being since the beginning has followed the pattern of our first parents and fallen into sin (see Rom. 3:23). The one exception to the fall of the race is Jesus Christ. God’s only Son was born into our world as a human being and lived a life unmarked by disobedience to God. Because of His sinless perfection, He was able to die in place of the rest of us and reverse the destruction of our fall into sin.

Thank God for sending Jesus to reverse our downfall.

Paul Zinter serves as a substitute teacher and enjoys writing, bread making, and teaching at his local church.

© 2017 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.