INTRODUCTION

Sin hurts men in every way possible. According to Hebrews 12:1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
See All..., it hinders their efforts to run the race God has set before them. Specifically, the passage suggests that sin besets men. What does that mean? The word beset is used six times in scripture. It is used with the words "round about" (Judges 19:22Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.
See All...; Judges 20:5And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead.
See All...), "round" (Psalm 22:12Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
See All...), and "about" (Hosea 7:2And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.
See All...). Each time, the idea is that of being surrounded or imprisoned for the purpose of doing harm. This perfectly explains the work of sin. Sin surrounds men and attacks them in every facet of life, leaving them no place to go. It hinders them in their walk with God and hurts their ability to reach others for Christ.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) Paul knew all too well how sin surrounds us (Romans 7:18-23 [18] For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. [19] For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. [20] Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. [21] I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. [22] For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: [23] But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
  See All...). He said it is present with us (Romans 7:21I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
  See All...). With God's help, we can overcome any sin (Romans 7:24-25 [24] O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? [25] I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
  See All...; 1 Corinthians 9:27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
  See All...; 2 Corinthians 9:8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
  See All...; Galatians 2:20I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
  See All...; Galatians 5:24And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
  See All...).
• Is there a particular "sin which doth so easily beset" you? Does it stop you in your tracks and keep you from being able to run your race for the Lord?
• How does sin box you in or surround you so that you cannot effectively serve the Lord? Would you rather enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season or please the Lord?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to show you if you are not effectively running for Him.
• Ask the Lord to show you the dangers of besetting sins.

HYMN

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

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