Brittney Basalious is sharing devotional thoughts with us this week! Learn more about her on our contributors page.

The Bible continually speaks of God’s law. We know God’s most popular list of rules, as most of society calls them, but are truly the Ten Commandments. The very first commandment, “I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have any gods before me,” condemned me at the very first glimpse.  

My gods, before Jesus- 

1. me,
2. the revealing clothes I wanted to wear,
3. altering my body to look my best,
4. my attitude,
5. my drugs,
6. my Mercedes, my sexuality, the list goes on . . .

What determines who or what is our “god?” Whatever controls us and persuades us to make life choices exalts itself above God’s Word and consumes our hearts and minds. We don’t have to go any further than the very first commandment God gave us to see we’re not righteous, let alone dare study the law in the Bible in an attempt to seek justification. 

Romans 3:20-31 

20 For by works of the law, no human being will be justified in his sight since through the law comes knowledge of sin. 

God’s law shows us we are sinners, shows us we aren’t perfect, it’s a mirror – not to condemn us but to point us to our Savior. Jesus is the only one who defeated sin, death, and the grave, and He says we can too, through Him, through grace.

Grace looks so good on me, and it’s going to look great on you, too! If He did it for someone like me, why not you? Have faith; faith is the key. 

It’s because of God’s grace I am changed, made new, walking in freedom from heroin, walking in freedom from the bisexual lifestyle, walking in freedom from stealing, and walking in freedom from complete mental bondage! I was a complete slave to drugs, sex, and finding my self-worth, but now I’m a slave to what God says is righteous. Being a godly mother is now my motivation, giving to those in need, becoming more like Jesus, loving and serving my husband, working my way through nursing school, sharing the freedom in Christ with others, and putting off the works of the flesh that used to consume and destroy me. 

I fall short of God’s glory so often, but I’m not a slave to my sin anymore; it doesn’t control me like it used to because of grace.