09/09/2021
We call Jesus our Savior, but do we realize how much we actually need His salvation? It is so easy to look at thieves and murderers, and think of them as truly needing to be saved by the Cross. When we look at them we think that Jesus would needed to give His life for men and women such as these, but what about me? I am a moral person who might tell a tiny lie now and then, wouldn’t a simple prayer from Heaven have saved me? Well scripture tells us that all manner of sin separates us from God, so the answer is “No” we need His blood to cleanse our lie just as much as the thief, and murderer do their vile sins.
“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”
1 Timothy 1:15 KJV
Paul looked upon himself as being chief amongst sinners, and until we can see ourselves in the same way, we will not have understood sin, nor what it takes to save us from it. Until we can weep in remorse, and contrition, as we seek forgiveness in tears for the white lies, or the sins we once thought of as insignificant, then we are lost.
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”
James 2:10 KJV
We attempt to classify our sins, not because one is greater than the next, but to relieve ourselves of of the guilt we feel in it. We find that it makes us feel better about our lives if we can think of ourselves as not being as fallen as another is… but this is a lie that Satan whispers to us, and that we take solace in, and continue to tell ourselves. Indeed, none of us are without sin, and none of us are righteous in ourselves.
“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”
Romans 3:9-10 KJV
So today when we pray let’s seek forgiveness with broken hearts for those sins we once felt were too insignificant to mention individually in prayer, or perhaps too small to remember beyond a few moments from their commission. How convenient our memories can seem to be as we forget certain sins, but each needs to be accounted for, and will be when we are judged.
We will account for everything we say…
“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”
Matthew 12:36 KJV
and everything we do…
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
2 Corinthians 5:10 KJV
Today let’s face those forgotten sins, those tiny indiscretions, those previously overlooked sins that separate us from God. Let’s sink to our knees, and prostrate ourselves before God as we seek tearful forgiveness for every sin; the tiny as well as the enormous… and those we have remembered and forgotten. Let’s pray that God will forgive us our sins, those we have committed knowingly, unknowingly, and by absentia (by not doing). Let’s apply the blood of Christ to every sin in our lives so that there will be nothing that separates us from God, and so that we will have cleansed ourselves, the temple of God, of all impurities that He finds detestable.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
1 John 1:8-10 KJV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for revealing our sinfulness to us, and for bringing to light all of our sin; those sins we have attempted to justify, and those we have considered too insignificant in our lives to remember. Help us to see sin as you see it Lord, and make every one of them as obvious to our way of thinking, as they are to yours. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who is perfect in every way, and who sent your Son Jesus to redeem us of all sin; great and small. Merciful are you who uses the blood of your Son Jesus Christ to wash blemish of sin from the tiniest of cracks, and fissures in us. Your grace is without fault, and covers us completely. Praised be your name Father for each white lie you draw our attention to, and every tiny grain of temptation that you shine your light upon, that would otherwise lead us to slip into sin. Hear our prayers of contrition, taste the salt of our tears, feel the trembling of our clasped hands, and have mercy upon us as we kneel before you, asking for your grace, and forgiveness for every one of our sins. In this way, wash us pure and clean in the blood of Jesus, and make us perfect as He is perfect. Call us your children, and let us please you now, and forevermore; in this way walk lovingly with us in the light of your presence through all eternity.
Rich Forbes