Thursday, May 22, 2008

Permanent verses Washable


As a mom I have learned to read the labels on art supplies before I purchase them. I love letting my kids be imaginative and create things on their own. We all know well enough when it is time for fun the mess has just begun. It is so much easier when the mess cleans up with a bit of soap and water. But there are those times when the going outside the lines have become a permanent reminders of the fun once had. Some brands of markers aren't washable on clothing others stick to wood like a new coat of bright strange polka dot stain.

I was thinking on this for a bit and soaked myself in the memory of how Jesus has washed, by his blood, my sins as white as snow. Whether my sins seemed to me permanent or Washable, Nothing is impossible with God.

Our life is like one big art project He watches us try and perfect. When we want help He gives it. God guides us and washes us clean, sending us on our way with a new white sheet of paper every once in a while. He longs for us to trust in him and let his hand guide our brush strokes and does when we allow him to.

He forgives us of our sins and he chooses to forget, yet sometimes that sin just does not seem to want to wash off of us. We seem to have a permanent stain on our brain of what we have done. We go through the process of believing in God's mercy and love and eventually forgive ourselves. But still there is a little mile marker on our lives that pops it's self up to be remembered. I think of these as the permanent marker sins. The ones that though we are forgiven still leave a bit of tarnish on our silver, a smudge on our glass half full called life. Sometimes sins are washed away, no harm done, forgiven and forgotten. Just like those good old water washable markers or paint messes, they clean up fast and all is well back to normal clean as a whistle.

What I have to remember is God does not see as I see things. His ways are not my ways. He does not see sin as little and big, hard to clean verses rinse with water, the forgivable verses the unforgivable. He sees them all the same. And in him we are washed clean. Though we may remember the past we can be thankful it is in the past and can not touch us, or hold us away from God's love, peace, joy... his presence!

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Psalms 103:11-13

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;

12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him

Isaiah 1:18
"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Rest in his forgiveness!
Bask in his loving presence!
God bless! Have a terrific day!

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