A Clean Slate

"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.  For day and night your hand was heavy on me;  my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.”  And you forgave the guilt of my sin." Psalm 32:1-5 (NIV)


There is nothing quite so exhilarating as knowing that you have been forgiven, that your sins no longer hang over your head and that you have gone from guilty to innocent in the eyes of God.

Of course, true forgiveness requires true repentance. It's not like when your child has written on the wall with a crayon for the upteenth time and upon being caught red-handed, looks at you and says, "sorry", but you know that it's just a response, not a confession and repentance moment.

God's a pretty smart parent, too. He knows when our hearts is truely sorry and when we are determined to turn from our sin and walk in line with His commands.  When that happens, we are made pure, entirely forgiven...we have a clean slate and can proceed from that moment with a new life.

What a joy it is to feel the guilt of our sins lifted from our shoulders!.

Prayer:
Thank you, Jesus, for the shedding of your blood that bought our forgiveness, our new life in you and our clean slate! Help us to drop the pretenses and to be entirely honest before you, confessing our sins, that we might receive your forgiveness. Amen

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)