Sin Detection Software Installed?

With all the recent talk about the latest "big" computer virus, I though I would share this devotional I wrote a few years back that relates well.

As I look back 20 years, I remember that there were far fewer computers around, but they were beginning to be used in many offices to perform tasks in minutes that took men days and even weeks to complete on their own. For the most part they make our lives easier, but sometimes they can be troublesome and just not work the way we want. The more I worked with them, the more interested I became in them, and could find new ways to put them to good use. Unfortunately, there were some who found ways to cause them to become unproductive and even damage all the good things they had already done. Just like sin in our lives can undo some of our best efforts, the computer virus can creep in undetected and wipe out or render useless all the good it was used for.

Virus’ come in many varieties and each one has a slightly different effect, but all have the same goal, to annoy or destroy. I have yet to see a virus that has the effect of making a computer run better or faster. It’s scary how those who create these virus programs name them things like “I love you” and “Anna Kournikova” to disguise them as something they really aren’t. The computer doesn’t care what the name is, but they are designed to attract us to look at them, then before we realize it the damage is done, just like sin that creeps into our lives. I have seen virus’ that completely erase all the data on the computer, and some that just annoy the user by popping up a message, or send out email to everyone in the address book. Sin in our lives can have the same effects. Some sins are obvious to all those around us and just seem annoying, but some can utterly destroy us or our usefulness for God’s work. Over the years, software has been developed to recognize, protect and clean computers from viruses, but occasionally new ones sneak through and wreak havoc. I’m glad that God is able to always recognize and cleanse me from sin when I come to him with it. When I fall, He provides a way back to Him through his great mercy and grace. Psalm 51 illustrates that I can be cleansed, renewed and restored when I acknowledge my sins before God and seek his mercy. God has provided the ultimate “sin detection software” for us through the Holy Spirit. Have you installed it so He can protect you from the devastating effects of sin? Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us so much that you continually restore us to you when we stray.