the toenail An Important Part Of The Whole

When my 15-year-old son and I got home tonight from church, it was raining, and that gave us a good excuse to stay in the car to finish our conversation.  He’s 15.  A teenager.  He had done something the day before that got him into a little trouble at home.  The “what he did” is not important.  He had spent a majority of the day after, however, beating himself up over what had happened.  So what –  he did something, made a poor choice, and was called on it.  Where he was struggling was getting beyond the poor choice he made.

Jesus died for our sins.  Every single one of them.  If you can think of it, or have done it…Jesus paid the price for it.  That does not give us a free pass to live a sinful life, but it does give us freedom from carrying the burdens of our past sins.  I want my son to understand the beauty of salvation and how freeing it is to walk in communion with The Father who loves unconditionally, and always.

Poor choices do not define who you are as a person.  Understanding this – really understanding this – is key to being able to let bygones be bygones.  Move forward.  Be forgiven.

After talking for a few minutes, with the rain beginning to let up, my son shared this story with me:

“Yeah, mom, it’s kind of like when Justin took us all to the beach and told us to write one of our sins in the sand.  He said just to write one thing that we know was a sin we’ve committed, and then sit back and watch the waves crash over the sin and wash it completely away.  He said that’s like what God does.  We are forgiven of our sins when we repent, and Jesus just washes it away and makes the sand all new and clean.  It’s like that, mom. ”

Yes, it’s just like that, son.  When we acknowledge sin, and ask for forgiveness, it is given to us, and we don’t have to feel guilty over whatever it was.  We don’t have to beat ourselves up over it.  As a matter of fact, when we hold onto guilt over a sin, that’s going against what Our Father asks of us.  He doesn’t condemn us, and he certainly doesn’t want us to condemn ourselves over it.  Time and time again, through scripture, forgiveness of sins is mentioned.

In 1 John 1:9, His Word reads:   If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

In Acts 3:19, His Word reads:  Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out…

In Matthew 26:28, His Word reads:  For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Thank you, Lord, for your never ending lovingkindness and patience and continual forgiveness.  And thank you, Lord, for the teachers who continue to mentor and make a difference in the lives of so many, by way of sharing Your truth.  Thank you for Justin, and for the messages he shared that continue to resonate in our lives.  Thank you, Lord, for the rain that allowed this momma to have a captive audience in the car tonight.  Thank you for the waves.  Thank you.  Amen.