Sour Grapes – Stepping in the Light

“The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezekiel 18:1-4

Our culture has become increasingly consumed with the blame game. Everything is someone else’s fault. People want to blame their parents for their spiritual condition. “My parents made me go to church, and that’s why I don’t go any more.” “Something bad happened, so I no longer believe in God.” “My father was an alcoholic; so I am, too.” “My mother was addicted to drugs, and that’s the reason I can’t break the habit.” “I grew up in poverty, so I have no way to avoid the same thing happening to me.” The Israelites had a problem with the same kind of thinking, and it was so prevalent that it was captured in a popular saying. “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” In other words, the kids have a bad taste in their mouths because of something their parents ate. God told Ezekiel to correct the people for this incorrect analysis of their situation. God said, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Each person is responsible for his or her own actions, and God will punish and reward on an individual basis. We need to rid ourselves of this kind of “sour grapes” thinking.

Morning: Ezekiel 18-19

Evening: James 4

About This Site

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

If you were to find yourself walking down a path in the dark of night with only an old-fashioned lantern to light the way, you wouldn’t be able to see very far ahead. You would be able to see just enough of the pathway to know which direction to take your next step and enough of the ground to choose the best place for your feet. When it comes to our daily lives, God’s Word is a lot like that lantern. It will not show us the whole path at once, but it is exactly what we need to help us decide how to take the next step.

The Bible is our source of spiritual light, and if we consistently seek God’s direction as we read from its pages, we will always have enough light for our next step along the pathway of life. It is then that we are, in the words of an old gospel song, “stepping in the light.”

The goal of this devotional guide is to encourage you to spend time in the Word of God each day. Reading the passages listed at the bottom of the page will take you all the way through the Bible in one year. The devotional thought for each day is taken from a text within that day’s reading, so even that small daily portion of reading will take you on a journey through God’s Word. It is my prayer that this guide would help you to walk closer to the Lord and that you will find yourself taking each step in the light of His Word.