Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Today's reading titled, Crumbled from Within, was written by Cindy Hess Casper.

When I was a teenager, my mom painted a mural on our living room wall, which stayed there for several years.

It showed an ancient Greek scene of a ruined temple with white columns lying on their sides,

a crumbling fountain, and a broken statue. As I looked at the Hellenistic architecture that

had once held great beauty, I tried to imagine what had destroyed it. I was curious,

especially when I began studying about the tragedy of once great and thriving civilizations

that had decayed and crumbled from within. This sinful depravity and wanton destruction we see

around us today can be troubling.

It's natural for us to try to explain it by pointing to people and nations that have rejected God.

But shouldn't we be casting our gaze inwardly as well?

Scripture warns us about hypocrites when we call out others to turn from their sinful ways

without also taking a deeper look inside our own hearts. Psalm 32 challenges us to see and

confess our own sin. It's only when we recognize and confess our personal sin that we can experience freedom from guilt

and the joy of true repentance.

As we rejoice and knowing that God offers us complete forgiveness, we can share that hope

with others who are also struggling with sin.

Today's Our Daily Bread Devotional Scripture reading is from Psalm 32, verses 1 through 5, and Matthew Chapter 7 versus 1 through 5.

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them, and in whose spirit is no

deceit.

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.

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