I shared the following on my Facebook page at the beginning of this week and I thought my email readers might appreciate it, as well. Hope it’s encouraging to you!
This past Sunday, as we all know, was Resurrection Sunday and my husband and I had to drive separately as we had to be at church at two different times.
In our church, we can purchase flowers to help brighten the sanctuary for this particular morning and so, after the service, I grabbed one the color of the sunset and took it to my car for the drive home.
I didn’t worry too much about situating it perfectly as I only had a five minute ride that had only one turn. I could hold on to it for that turn. All went very well until…
There was a second turn I hadn’t really thought about…the turn into my house. I am not sure what happened. Perhaps I grew distracted thinking about my day. Or I just had forgotten the tulip was there. But as I turned into my house, the tulip went flying, and made a royal mess on my recently swept car floor.
I was so annoyed.
But I took a picture. Because it seemed like there must be a lesson here (always, right?!)
My mind went to my sin, in this instance. We are so careful with a besetting sin. We pay attention, we work with the Holy Spirit, through prayer and scripture, to rid our lives of that sin.
And then…
Life throws us a curve ball. Or we allow ourselves to be too busy. Or whatever the reason…we start functioning on “autopilot”. We don’t pay as close attention.
And, plop! Just like that tulip slipped on to the floor and spilled dirt everywhere, we slip and find ourselves in a familiar pile of dirt. It can be very discouraging.
While a vacuum cleaned all that dirt in my car right up, a vacuum is absolutely useless in cleaning up our sinful messes. Thankfully, we have something far greater to cleanse our lives from the messes we make. We have a faithful God who forgives!
I John 1:9 puts it like this—
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
When we make a mess (which is almost every day, right?), we have a Savior who not only forgives and cleanses us from all unrighteousness, but who gives us a brand new fresh start each morning (Lamentations 3:22-24).
Praise the Lord for His amazing grace and abundant mercy! Today is a brand new day.
May we redeem the time, confess our sins, and use the gift of each day to seek the Lord in all our ways.