DEVOTION /East from West
Kipling's famous lines
The classic British writer Rudyard Kipling penned the famous lines: "East is east and west is west and never the twain shall meet."
Spending years overseas, Kipling had experienced much in terms of cultural differences between England and its far-flung territories. If you read the poem these lines are from, it is clear that Kipling points to respect, loyalty, bravery, and honor as qualities that can surmount even the greatest of cultural differences.
“The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
Lines from Psalm 103
The lines "East is east and west is west and never the twain shall meet" always remind me of the words of Psalm 103: As far as the east is from the west, so far has he (the LORD) removed our transgressions from us. This passage is part of a beautiful and comforting section where the Lord reveals his loving and forgiving character to his followers.
No Condemnation
Recently I was struggling through a tough day. My sins were weighing heavily on me. Emotionally I was at a breaking point. All my past failures were haunting my thoughts.
What a blessing that a dear friend could remind me of these precious words. Almighty God has taken away my sins and remembers them no more. As Romans 8:1 assures us: There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
This message rings true whether you live in the Far East or the Midwest!
316NOW is sharing those wonderful words of hope, comfort, and forgiveness with our friends in China. And we are happy to share them with you.
Prayer thought
Thank you, dear Lord, for your compassion and mercy. Your Son Jesus has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west. Lead us to rejoice in this truth and share it with everyone.
Source: Dave Payne