01/28/2019
Were you perfect in the sight of God yesterday, or was it a bad day for you? Did you make it all the day long without sinning once, or were there those moments when you lost control of your tongue, or stepped otherwise into sin? Each of us falls short of perfection in the eyes of God, but that is no reason to stop striving for it. We have a wonderful eraser on the end of our pencil of faith that removes all of our mistakes and perfects us in the end... Jesus Christ.
“Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”
Colossians 1:28-29 ESV
When in school I detested assignments that had to be submitted in ink. I have a tremor. Although my tremor was much better back then, it was still noticeable in my handwriting, and often required me to erase an errant stroke and redo it. You see, I have an inherited tremor that gets worse with the years. Fortunately I am able to combat it somewhat with medication... but it is still there. Thankfully we have computers and medication today, or else I would be unable to write in such a way that you could read it. But, in school I didn’t have those luxuries, and the eraser on my pencil was a godsend. It allowed me to submit my assignments and not be counted off for my handwriting... it made my papers acceptable to my teachers. Jesus is the eraser in our lives, and additionally, there is no mistake that he cannot erase.
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”
Colossians 2:13-14 ESV
Were you glad for the eraser on your pencil? They were so essential in those days that supply stores sold replacements that you could slip over the end of your pencil, and even larger erasers that you could carry with you in your school bag. Yes, mistakes were more than occasional; they were common and occurred every day, and even though we could erase them they frustrated us when we made one... just like our sins do today.
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."”
John 16:33 ESV
Jesus relieves the frustrations in our lives by covering them with His perfection, and His blood. Whether our anxiety stems from sin, or day to day occurrences, Jesus takes them, and relieves us of their burden. It is hard enough to strive for perfection in everyday tasks and fall short, but it is especially hard when this has to do with sin because the consequences of our failure are so great. Yet our savior is able to erase even the most heinous sins and make us perfect and whole again.
“For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”
Hebrews 10:14 ESV
During college I had a summer job working construction in a family business, and my boss who was easily frustrated by imperfection was the owner’s son. When his father would come to the job site they would talk, and when the father would leave the son’s frustration would quickly boil over into anger and he would pick up the nearest tool and throw it as far as he could, get in his truck and speed off; he never went back for those tools. I was fortunate not to have ever been the object of his frustration, but after a while I learned something else, and at the end of the workday, I would go to those places where I recalled he had thrown a tool, and search for it until I found it. You see, the frustration we each feel costs us something... we lose our ability to perform at our best, and sometimes we give up, throw things of value away, and storm off defeated. Jesus soothes our souls, and makes perfect the things that trouble us; by this He makes us perfect in our father’s sight. My boss was frustrated most because he wasn’t perfect in his father’s eyes, but thankfully we are... not because of our own efforts, but because of the grace we receive through Christ.
“Oh, my soul- stand in awe of the blessed truth of perfection in Christ.” - Charles Spurgeon
Don’t let sin defeat you! Don’t let your imperfection frustrate you to the point where you throw away what should be of great value to you, and by frustration, don’t ultimately lose the acceptance your Father wants to lavish on you. Jesus makes us perfect and sin free by His sacrifice, and He takes on the burdens that Satan attempts to wear us down with. Here are two passages of scripture that will help us in this regard....
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."”
Matthew 11:28-30 ESV
And...
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
1 Peter 5:6-8 ESV
So let’s go back to my opening questions:
“Were you perfect in the sight of God yesterday, or was it a bad day for you? Did you make it all the day long without sinning once, or were there those moments when you lost control of your tongue, or stepped otherwise into sin?”
It is my guess that as we think back on our day we will find that we weren’t perfect, we did lose control of our tongue, or perhaps our thoughts, and we did step into sin at some point. But, there is an eraser on the pencil of our faith, and we can defeat our anxiety and frustration, if we will just lean on Jesus, and accept the sacrifice He has made for us. Are you ready to do that? Are you able to trust in Him?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your Son Jesus Christ who perfects us in your eyes. Thank you for His goodness, and ability to relieve the stress and frustration we feel. Thank you for your grace that you allow to flow through Him, and which covers all our sins, erasing them from your sight. Help us Holy Father to trust in you, and to trust in the mercy that you have provided us. How great you are Holy Father to not only forgive our sins, but to take away the load we bear each day in our earthly lives. Teach us to come to Jesus with all of our burdens, the sins, and the others. Let us experience the peace and comfort He brings to every aspect of our lives, and to once again find ourselves worthy unto be in your presence through His blood. Hear our prayers as we offer them up to you in a His name, and hear His prayers of intercession when we are unable, or unwilling, to pray them for ourselves. Great is your Son Jesus, but greater yet your mercy and grace of which He is the tool, and that He delivers by your will for our salvation. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who loves us so much that you would send your Son to suffer, die, and be resurrected that we might live. Praised be your name Father, and all glory be yours forevermore.
Rich Forbes