If You're Living Under the Tyranny of Unforgiveness

“I’ll never forgive you as long as I live!”

A “friend’s” adolescent betrayal, probably having something to do with a boy, incited me to spew these venomous words. She had wronged me, and I was livid. I determined never to forget what she had done. 

And forgive her? No way. I vowed to keep my anger alive, rehearsing the wrong over and over in my mind until it simmered like soup in a crock pot. Occasionally I’d crack the lid, and burning steam would leak out, injuring me and everyone nearby. To forgive would be to deny the offense had happened and negate my right to be offended. 

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What NOT to Write in Your Bible

In my last post I described how I often record promises, prayers, and significant life events in the margins of my Bible. Like a modern-day equivalent to the Israelites’ “stones of remembrance,” my notes remind me of God’s faithfulness and mercy throughout my lifetime. 

Today, however, during my Bible reading time, I encountered a different type of note – a note I wish I hadn’t written. 

This note, instead of filling my heart with gratitude and strengthening my faith, did the opposite. It transported me back to a time when someone had wounded me so deeply I feared I might never recover. It opened the door to painful memories and picked at the scab on the wound I thought God had healed long ago. 

I don’t know why, on that sad day, I chose to record the offense. Perhaps it was because I knew it was a life-altering one, a line in the sand akin to the one between B.C. and A.D., that testified that life, as I knew it, was forever changed. 

Whatever the reason, my note reminds me, every year, of the hurt and pain I felt that day. 

But today I said, No more. 

No longer do I want to be reminded, year after year, of an offense that broke my heart. No longer do I want to relive the hurt, betrayal, and pain of that day. I want to banish from my memory forever the doubt and fear that wrapped itself like a cloak around me, threatening to suffocate my faith and my future. 

In an act of obedience and submission, I picked up the blackest of black pens and expunged forever the record of that wrong. I inked over my handwriting so thoroughly that the words are now indistinguishable. One day, I pray, I will forget them for good. 

I must confess, part of me wanted to leave the memorial of my hurt recorded forever in my Bible. In a sad and sadistic way, reliving the sins others have committed against me keeps my righteous indignation alive and affirms my innocent-victim status. 

But the Holy Spirit whispered into my heart that there was another choice. Another way of handling the pain. 

Forgive. 

And when you have forgiven, he said, forget. 

“But, Lord,” I objected, “don’t you remember how they broke my trust? Lied to cover up their sin? Don’t you know what this has cost me?” 

I know, the Lord said. Because your sin broke my heart. Your transgression made me cry. Your willful disobedience altered the course of my life forever. 

See my hands? And my side? I was wounded for your transgressions. I was bruised for your iniquities. The punishment for your peace is upon me. 

Yet by my stripes, you were healed. 

Then he reminded me of Psalm 103:12: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” 

And Jeremiah 31:34: "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” 

I knew I had no self-righteous higher ground to stand upon. If the holy Son of God could forgive me for the sins that nailed him to the cross, and was willing to expunge the record of my transgressions, who was I to withhold my forgiveness from another? 

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you,” he said in Matthew 6:14-15, “your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” 

As I have received mercy, so must I give it. As I desire forgiveness, so must I extend it. 

So I picked up my pen again. Now, instead of a note that reminds me how someone sinned against me, I’ve written five new words, 

Today I choose to forgive. 

 Now it’s your turn. Are you struggling to forgive? I encourage you, don’t wait for the feelings. Obey God and trust that the feelings will come.

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The Christmas Gift You Don't Want to Give

 “Tell GiGi what you did yesterday,” my daughter prompted my 3-year-old granddaughter.

“I gave some of my toys away to a little boy who didn’t have any.”

A couple in their church was preparing to become a foster family. My daughter, in the process of de-cluttering and donating, knew this would be the perfect new home for some of her daughters’ toys. Lauren, who loves them all, was less enthusiastic.

“So when you gave your toys away,” I asked, “how did that make you feel? Were you happy?”

“No,” she said, with drooping eyes and down-turned lips. “I was sad.”

“Well I’m really proud of you. You did a very good thing.”

Lauren’s mama is a smart one. She knows it’s important to teach her young ones to do the right thing, even if they don’t feel like it. It’s good training for the Christian life.

It’s been my observation that it’s easy to obey God when we feel like it. We watch a tender commercial about the homeless, and we can’t wait to write a check to the nearest shelter. We hear a glowing report from a missionary and eagerly sign up to staff the next fundraiser.

But what happens when we know God’s calling us to do something we really don’t want to do? I mean really don’t want to do? Like give away your toys, or forgive someone who's hurt you?

Forgiveness may seem like an odd topic for a Christmas blog post, but it’s really quite appropriate. When you peel back all the layers, Christmas is all about reconciliation and restoration.

Mankind was estranged from God. We had sinned horribly against him. We’d willfully gone our own way, done our own thing, and were living apart from God. Titus 3 describes it this way:

“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another."

And then God, in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ, offered the gift of forgiveness:

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”

Once we accepted the gift of his forgiveness, God cancelled our sin debt and welcomed us into the family. Then he gave us an assignment: “Go and do ye likewise.”

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18-19).

“He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”

This means forgiving others the way he forgave us. Ephesians 4:32 puts it this way:

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

Forgiveness, it’s been said, is the gift we eagerly receive and selfishly withhold. 

As we prepare to give and receive this Christmas, perhaps the greatest gift we can give isn’t one we want to give, but the gift we need to give—the gift of forgiveness. Are there people in your life who have wronged you? Perhaps the Lord has brought them to mind because he wants you to extend the gift of forgiveness—not just for their sake, but for yours.

And when the Lord calls us to do something, we don’t have the luxury of waiting until we feel like it. To delay is to disobey. 

If you do what’s right—what God is calling you to do, the feelings will come. But even if they don’t, God will give you the peace, and joy, and freedom that wholehearted obedience brings. And that is a mighty precious gift.

A wise man once said, “Forgiveness sets a prisoner free. And then you find that the prisoner is you.”

As you prayerfully bestow gifts this Christmas, don’t overlook the gift of forgiveness. It could be the greatest gift you give this year.

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When we hurt our children

I didn’t know if I’d be a good mother. I’d never babysat, changed a diaper, or enjoyed other people’s children. I feared I was devoid of maternal instinct. 
But when I held my baby for the first time, I knew one thing—I would die for her. I would donate my last pint of blood, defend her against a pack of wild dogs, or charge a madman with an M-16 to protect her. It is a powerful thing, this mother’s love. 

We spend our lives protecting our children. We childproof our homes before they can crawl. We pad our stairs, fence our yards, and screen our babysitters. Whatever it takes to keep them from being hurt. 

But what do we do when we’re the ones who hurt them? 

I don’t mean physically, although that’s certainly possible. Just about everyone’s had an infant roll off a bed while her back was turned or slammed little fingers in a car door. These injuries are seldom permanent and usually quickly forgotten. 

 I’m talking about heart hurts. The kind that plant themselves into our children’s memories and carry long term, destructive potential. Angry words. Demeaning comments. Sarcasm. A friend of mine remembers his father shouting in a fit of anger, “You’re hopeless. You’ll never amount to anything.” He’s struggled against those rash words all his life. 

So what should we do when we hurt our children? Here are seven steps: 

1. Apologize immediately or as quickly as possible. Like destroying a weed in the garden, the quicker we yank the poisonous words out of our children’s hearts, the less time they have to grow roots and bear fruit. 

2. Clearly state the offense with no excuses. Instead of, “I’m sorry if I said something to hurt your feelings,” say, “I know I hurt you when I said,’_______________.’ I spoke in anger without thinking. I was wrong.” 

3. Ask for forgiveness. First we must ask God to forgive us, because all sin is ultimately against him, and then we must ask our children. Asking our children to forgive us is a very humbling experience. It lowers us from positions of authority to positions of equality. It gives them the power, rightfully theirs, to accept or reject our requests. 

Don’t be surprised, depending on the degree of hurt, if your child doesn’t forgive you immediately. Sometimes it takes a little time. On a bright note, children are amazingly forgiving and usually respond right away to a sincere, humble apology. 

4. Whether they verbally forgive you or not, forgive yourself. First John 1:9 describes God’s prescription for handling sin: “If we confess our sins, he (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” If God is willing to forgive us when we sin against him, it’s presumptuous to cling to guilt and shame. 

5. Ask God to erase the memory of your words from your child’s mind. In Joel 2:25, God promises to “restore what the locust have eaten.” Erasing the destructive power of harsh words is restoration that honors and glorifies him. 

6. Examine the scenario that led up to the sin and learn from it. If you spoke harshly to your child because you were running late and feeling stressed, purpose to leave earlier for appointments. If an ongoing character-training issue frustrated you, prayerfully plan to tackle the issue during a time when you and your child are in good moods. Take the necessary steps to ensure that the outburst won’t happen again. 

7. Breathe grace. We are flawed human beings, and we are parenting other flawed human beings. There are no perfect parents, and to expect to never sin against our children is unrealistic and naïve. By demonstrating how a Christian repents, asks for forgiveness, and takes the necessary steps to break the sin cycle, we become a powerful and positive example to our children. 

It has been my goal never intentionally to hurt my children. Sadly, over the course of over 24 years of parenting, sometimes I’ve failed. I’m sure I will fail again. I hope, however, when my children look back, they’ll remember less about the times I’ve hurt them and more about the steps I’ve taken to make it right. 

What are your thoughts? I’d love for you to share them by leaving a comment below.

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Why does a manly man cry?

Did you know that one of the heroes of the Bible was a manly man who wasn’t afraid to cry?

His name was Joseph, and between Genesis 42 and Genesis 50, Scripture records that he cried eight times. That’s an average of one crying spell per chapter. Pretty impressive for a man who saved two nations from starvation, was second in command of the country, and was so respected that Pharaoh and all his court attended his father’s funeral.

Since repetition is one of the literary devices God uses in Scripture
to emphasize a point, when I saw Joseph’s overactive tear ducts dripping all over the pages of Genesis, I knew there must be a lesson or two in this flood of tears.

The first thing I noticed is what Joseph didn’t cry about. He didn’t cry: 

when the Ishmaelites sold him into slavery.

when Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him

when he was unjustly imprisoned.

or when the butler forgot him and left him in prison.

And while I know there is much of Joseph’s life that isn’t recorded, according to this account, Joseph never cried for himself. He didn’t cry out of self-pity, fear, or anger.

Why not?

A few tears (or a bucket full) were certainly justified.

Joseph didn’t cry because he had a firm grasp on the truth that no circumstance enters our lives apart from God’s will and purpose. He knew that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purposes (Rom. 8:28). Joseph articulated this truth when he said to his brothers, “So it was not you who sent me here, but God. . . . You meant it for evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Gen. 45:8, 50:20).

Then I noticed what Joseph did cry about. He cried: 

when his brothers admitted their guilt and remorse over their cruelty (Gen. 42:21).

when he saw his baby brother for the first time in years (Gen. 43:30).

when he revealed his identity to his brothers (Gen. 45:2).

when he hugged his brother Benjamin (Gen. 45:14).

when he was reunited with his other brothers (Gen. 45:15).

when he saw his father again (Gen 46:29).

when his father died (Gen. 50:1).

and when his brothers confessed their sin against him and asked for his forgiveness (Gen. 50:15).

I noticed that every outburst of tears from tenderhearted Joseph came because of relationships. 

When his brothers confessed their guilt and remorse, Joseph responded with glad tears. When he saw his long-lost brother after years of separation, he cried for joy. When his brothers demonstrated that they were not only sorry for their sins, but had repented and been transformed, he cried so loudly that the servants in the next room heard him. Not only had his brothers become caring, tenderhearted men worthy of forgiveness, but their transformed hearts opened the door for brotherly fellowship in a way they had never experienced before. 

And, of course, when his father, brothers, and extended family members joined him in Egypt, his joy overflowed into a river of tears that rivaled the Nile during flood season.

The most poignant of Joseph’s tearful outbursts, however, is the last one recorded in the account of his life. Israel had died and Joseph’s brothers were still struggling with guilt and fear. What if Joseph hasn’t really forgiven us? they wondered. What if he was only pretending while our father was alive, and now he’s plotting to punish us? They approached him humbly, their turbans in their hands, and prostrated themselves before him.

“Please forgive us,” they begged. Joseph’s heart broke once more, and he wept again.

During those long, dark nights of imprisonment, when Joseph wrestled with God over the cruelty and injustice of his circumstances, he learned two things—that God is trustworthy, and God is good. Because he had settled this, he could say to his brothers, “Do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.”

“And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them” (Gen. 50:21).

If you’re living through difficult circumstances right now, I encourage you to read the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50. Let the truths of this beautiful account heal your heart, grow your faith, and convince you once and for all that God is trustworthy and God is good.

Have you experienced a Joseph-like faith challenge? I’d love to hear your story. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

If you enjoyed this post, you might like When You've Been Wronged -- Three Steps to Healing.

In my quest to read through the Bible in a year, this post is based on Genesis 43-50.

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Does Your Past Disqualify You? A Lesson from the Peabody Ducks

Every morning at 11, and every evening at five, they roll out the red carpet at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. The gathering crowd presses against the ropes that hold it back, jockeying to be the first to glimpse the resident celebrities. As the elevator doors open to the lobby, John Philip Sousa's King Cotton March begins to play. The fans inhale, hold their collective breath, and then squeal like giggling teenaged girls at a Justin Bieber concert, “There they are!” 

And the duck parade begins.

The Peabody Ducks (Photo Courtesy of Memphis County Visitors' Bureau)

 

Photo courtesy Freedigitalphotos.net

Led by their escort, the official Peabody Duckmaster, the web-footed, tail-shaking mallard ducks (one mail and four females), march along the red carpet in the Peabody’s Grand Lobby amidst the flash of camera lights and the sound of clapping from their adoring fans. One by one they take their place in the hotel’s ornate marble fountain where they paddle happily until the parade is reversed at five p.m., and the ducks return to their rooftop home. People come from all over the world to witness the procession, one of Memphis’s most famous attractions.

The tradition began in 1932, when the general manager of the hotel and one of his buddies returned from a hunting trip with five live decoys and a snoot full of whiskey. With the reasoning ability that only alcohol can bring, they decided it would be amusing to put their live ducks in the hotel fountain. What began as a prank soon became the hotel’s most popular attraction, and the live decoy ducks were subsequently replaced by five permanent residents. 

In 1940, a bellman named Edward Pembroke offered to help train the ducks. A former circus animal trainer, Pembroke soon taught the ducks to march. The duck parade became an overnight success, and he acquired the distinction of being the official Peabody Hotel Duckmaster, a position he held for over 50 years, until his retirement in 1991.

I suspect, when Pembroke quit his job as a circus animal trainer and began working as a bellman at the Peabody, he never planned to revisit that aspect of his life again. Many of us feel the same way.

Perhaps there are parts of our past you wish had never happened--hurts, sins, poor choices, abuse. Many of us who came to faith later in life bear the scars of life without him. Sexual promiscuity, alcohol or drug abuse, self-mutilation, abortion, and depression are all shadows from our former lives that threaten to eclipse our new lives in Christ. To protect ourselves, we lock them in the closet of our past, write Under the Blood on the door, and throw away the key.

But what if God places people in our lives who need to hear our story?

What if the stories of our past and the forgiveness and restoration Christ offers, unlocks the door to someone’s future? What if, like the Peabody ducks, someone is swimming aimlessly around in circles accomplishing nothing, when instead she could be part of something bigger and grander than she ever imagined?

What if Mr. Pembroke had said, “The past belongs in the past. I’ve left that behind”?

Instead he saw potential. He had vision, and he knew he could use aspects of his past to make his world better.

Beth Moore says, “God will often take our pain and turn it into a passion.” She’s a perfect example of this. A victim of childhood abuse, Beth has dedicated her life to helping women find restoration and hope a life by surrendering to Christ. God often turns our misery into ministry when we place it in his hands.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (2 Cor. 1:3-4).

Is there an aspect of your past you’d prefer to forget? Will you surrender it to God today to use as he sees fit? You can trust him, the one who promises to bring beauty from ashes.

If you enjoyed this post, you might like Hiding in the Coat Closet with Adam and Eve.

If you enjoyed this devotion, may I tell you about my new book, Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women?

 Today's women want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.

You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray? 
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me? 
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit? 

Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you. 

 

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April 15 and Taxes -- What Procrastination Will Cost You and How to Avoid It

On March 1, 1985, the International News Network released the results of a survey taken the previous year in the United States Workplace. The survey found that the average worker wastes nine weeks a year procrastinating. Nine weeks wasted just by putting off decisions or delaying actions!

With the April 15 deadline for income tax filing right around the corner, I wonder how many of us who have put off filing our taxes will spend a significant portion of the weekend surrounded by W-2s and piles of receipts?

While some personality types lend themselves more to procrastination than others, we all have a tendency to put off unpleasant projects, difficult conversations, and important tasks. Although some procrastination is conscious and deliberate, oftentimes we postpone activities simply because we "haven't gotten around to it" yet.

Felix, the Governor of Caesarea, was a procrastinator. And it cost him a place in Heaven.

Serving the Romans in 40 AD, Felix was assigned the duty of hearing a criminal case between a group of Jews and the apostle Paul. While waiting for more information on the case, he sent for Paul to dialogue with him about faith in Jesus Christ. Knowing that Felix was well acquainted with "The Way," Paul skipped the preliminaries and cut to the heart of the matter.

He spoke frankly to Felix and his wife, Drusilla, about what it means to be righteous, how God calls us to live self-controlled lives, and how we will all stand before the judgement seat of Christ one day.

This kind of talk scared the robes off of Felix, because not only was he corrupt in his business dealings, often accepting a well-timed bribe to help him decide a matter, he had destroyed Drusilla's marriage and stolen his young wife from another man!

When faced with straight talk from the apostle Paul about his own sinfulness, God's standard, and the coming judgement, he did what many of us do--he procrastinated.

"That's enough for now," he said hurriedly, "You many leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you. . . " (Acts 24:25).

"When I find it convenient. . ."


"When I get around to it. . . "


"I'll do it tomorrow. . . "

How many times have we said these words? How many good things have we put off to another day? How many opportunities to make a difference in someone's life have we lost because we ignored the Holy Spirit's prompting and did what we wanted to do instead? How many people have missed eternity in Heaven because, like Felix, they put off making a decision for Christ until a more convenient time?

He was going to be all a mortal should be--tomorrow.
No one would ever be better than he--tomorrow.
Each morning he stacked up the letters he'd write--tomorrow.
Who can say what a credit he might have been--tomorrow.
The world would have known him if only he'd seen--tomorrow.
But the fact is he died and faded from view.
And all that was left when his living was through,
Was a mountain of things he intended to do--tomorrow.
                                                                            ~Anon

What are you putting off 'til tomorrow?

Is there something or someone God has placed on  your heart?

             a relationship you need to make right?
             a phone call you need to make?
             a gift you need to give?
             a conversation you need to have?
             a confession you need to speak?
             a forgiveness you need to ask for or grant?
             a lifestyle you need to forsake?
             a relationship with God you need to begin?

Don't wait 'til tomorrow.

Do it today. 



" Today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts."
                                                                                        (Heb. 3:15)

"Now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."   
                                                                                        (2 Cor 6:2)

You want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.

You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray? 
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me? 
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit? 

Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you.

If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
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Do You Need a Bath?

Note: This is not Winston. He is much too modest to allow me to publish a picture of him bathing!

It was time.

We had postponed it long enough, and now it was inevitable. The deciding factor was the worm he had rolled on, in joyful doggy abandon, in the backyard. Prior to that, several happy romps in the rain, frequent and furious games of fetch, and the day-to-day experiences of living a foot off the ground in a fur coat had produced, to put it delicately, a distinctly organic aroma.

Thankfully, unlike my previous dog, who would head to the farthest corner of the house to hide under a dresser whenever I ran bathwater, Winston is generally cooperative. I accomplished his bath with a minimum amount of trauma to both of us.  Though he was soaking wet, I was only slightly damp. A definite success.

After his emancipation from the bathroom, he romped through the house at full speed. Tongue lolling and ears flapping, he careened around corners, bounced across beds, and raced down the hallway at breakneck speed.  Though he couldn't admit it, it was obvious from his antics that he felt GOOD after his bath.

After witnessing Winston's bath experience, I realized the parallel between him in all his doggieness and us as believers. 

We get dirty as we walk through this world. Living in a sinful world causes us to come in contact with debris that make us dingy. Unkind thoughts cling to us as we struggle in personal relationships. Anger stains the edges of our heart as we live with difficult circumstances. Lust splashes onto us as we gaze too long at a movie, television, or book we'd be better off without.

Hopefully these sins don't characterize us, but they do affect us. They don't change our position as God's children, but they do cast a haze over the windows of our soul as we seek to reflect the Christ who lives in our hearts.

Jesus spoke to his disciples about this problem in John 13. Stooping down to wash their feet, he explained that as they walked through the world, they would become tainted by sin. He reassured Peter that while sin in a believer's life doesn't negate his salvation, it does harm his fellowship with God and others. Because of this, a believer needs to "bathe" regularly. Jesus used the physical example of washing Peter's feet to show him his need for regular spiritual cleansing.

God's word encourages us to "bathe" our spirits regularly in order to maintain a clean and happy heart, a powerful testimony, and an effective prayer life. Here are three suggestions to help us stay clean in a dirty world:

1.  Invite God to search our hearts and reveal any conscious or unconscious sin. "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23).

2.  Confess our sin in honesty and repentance. "If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

3.  Accept God's forgiveness and commit, with His help, to change. "And Jesus said to her (the woman caught in adultery), "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

4. Walk in the joy that comes from a clean heart, knowing that when when we are clean, we are most like our Savior.  "And to her (the church) it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. . . . And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him (Jesus) on white horses" (Revelation 19: 8, 14).

May God richly bless you as you seek to glorify Him.

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Hiding in the Closet with Adam and Eve

I was hiding in the closet behind the coats, crouching down to make myself as small as possible. I don't remember what the offense was, but I remember knowing that I deserved to be punished. I was 7 years old.

I didn't answer my father when he called my name, but I heard his footsteps getting closer and closer to my hiding place.

Oddly enough, although I was hiding from my dad who was likely to punish me, I didn't close the closet door all the way. Since we didn't use the coat closet often, a partially open door was the equivalent of a neon sign with an arrow saying, "Look here."

The truth of the matter was, I wanted to be found.

For although I was afraid of the punishment that was coming, I was also overwhelmed with guilt and shame. Even at my young age, I knew that punishment purged guilt, and that sin demanded a payment.

Adam and Eve hid in the coat closet too.

In their case, it wasn't a literal one. Genesis 3:8 says, "Then the man and the woman heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God." Adam later told God he hid because he was afraid.

Adam and Eve had sinned too, and like my 7-year old transgression, their sin demanded a payment.

God could have left them there, clothed in their willful disobedience, naked and ashamed. He also could have waited for them to come to him in confession and repentance, but he didn't.

He went looking for them.

And when he found them, he meted out the punishment they deserved, because all sin demands an accounting. But then our holy, perfect, sinless God stooped even lower as he peered between the branches to gaze into the eyes of his rebellious children. He saw their guilt, their shame, and their nakedness. He saw their pitiful attempts to cover themselves, and he was moved with compassion.

He drew them out into his love, killed an innocent lamb for their sin, and clothed them.

My daddy did that for me when he found me huddled on the floor of that coat closet. He listened to my blubbering confession, meted out the required punishment, and then he took me in his arms and clothed me in his forgiveness. My guilt was gone, and I was clean again.

If you're hiding in guilt and shame, you don't have to listen very hard to hear your Father's footsteps. He's looking for you. He's not content to let you stay naked in sin. He wants to restore you. Even though he's the One you've sinned against, he is searching for you.

Like for Adam and Eve in the garden, he has already slain the innocent lamb.

His name was Jesus.

God our Father holds out the robe of his love to cover you with, to pay the penalty for your sin, and to clothe you in his righteousness.

He's calling for you.

Will you respond?

"But God demonstrated His own love toward us in this, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

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