Carried Away

“The scapegoat carried every sin far away—so I could walk freely in peace today.”

Scripture: Leviticus 16:20–22
Devotional Credit: Immeasurably More: The Day of Atonement by Ray Stedman
Photo Credit: Image sourced via Unsplash.com

In this reflection on Leviticus 16, Ray Stedman guides us to see Christ pictured in the Day of Atonement ritual, specifically in the scapegoat. As the high priest laid his hands upon the goat and confessed all the sins of the people, those sins were symbolically transferred and carried away into the wilderness. Stedman beautifully shows how this act foreshadowed Jesus Christ, who bore the total weight of our guilt, not just to satisfy God’s justice but to make way for uninhibited love to flow toward us.

And here's the heart of it: because Christ bore our sin, there is nothing remaining that can separate us from God—not our past, not our shame, not even the accusations of the enemy. When those fiery darts of doubt or guilt come, Stedman urges us to place them squarely on Christ, declaring by faith that they do not belong to us—they originated with the enemy and must be returned to him.

The call to worship, then, isn’t about groveling or trying to appease God. It’s about bold, confident trust that Jesus has done all, and that we are free to live, love, and rest in unbroken union with the Father. Worship becomes our response to this reality—asking, “Lord, what are You going to do through me today?”

Journal Entry – In the Voice of the Holy Spirit

I have carried every shameful memory, every transgression, every whispered accusation far from you. What once clung to you has been laid upon the One who stood in your place. In Him, I released your guilt into the wilderness of death, never to return. You are not tethered to the shadows of your past, nor are you under scrutiny from a Father searching for flaws. His gaze rests on you with delight, for He sees His Son, and in His Son, He sees you—pure, accepted, beloved.

So when the enemy hurls reminders of your unworthiness, do not take them up. They are not yours. They never were. Send them back, carried by the One who already bore them. Stand firm with the shield of faith, trusting that every fiery dart has been extinguished by the blood-soaked banner of the Lamb.

You are free to walk into the presence of the Father with boldness, not because of your performance, but because Christ has performed perfectly on your behalf. You are His, wholly and forever. Today, you don’t need to strive—you simply need to trust. I will express His life through you in the smallest moments and in the unseen choices. And that, beloved, is worship.

Scripture references woven throughout: Leviticus 16:20–22; Ephesians 6:16; Romans 8:1; Hebrews 10:14–22; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 1:22

Prayer of Trust

Father, thank You that there’s not a shred of doubt in Your heart toward me. Because of Christ, I stand wholly forgiven, completely accepted, and lovingly embraced. When accusations rise, I recognize them as foreign invaders—relics of a past that has no claim on me. I trust You to silence those voices by reminding me of my union with Christ. You’ve already done everything. And now, I yield the moments ahead to You, not with fear or obligation, but with joy and expectancy. May this life be Yours to live through me.