Read
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.
Psalm 130:3-4
Reflect
Wanted: The Perfect Teacher
Teaches amazing lessons every day and gives away candy for correct answers. Gives no homework. Allows cell phones to be used in class. Never yells at students – in fact, never gets mad, even when students act out. Tutors for free in spare time. Gives only A+ grades. Loved by students and parents equally. Works for free.
Can you imagine anyone measuring up to that description? Honestly, I would think that the above ad would have been written by a student, and likely one who was struggling in school. But even if they thought that they were getting the perfect teacher, even with those qualities, the teacher they got wouldn’t be perfect just because there would be no incentive to learn.
Not even the “perfect teacher” would be perfect. No one even has been, except for Jesus, who never sinned even once. That’s certainly the case with each of us. We all live with the curse of sin, which we inherited from our oldest ancestors, Adam and Eve. We’re born as little sinners, and we grow up as sinners. If God kept a written account of our wrongdoings, can you think of anyone who would have a clean record?
But the cool thing is that God is willing to forgive us and give us that clean record. It would be like being in a class where you took a test and got a lot of the answers wrong. God, as your teacher, gives you a chance to ask forgiveness for all of your wrong answers, and when you make that request, he erases each red X and marks those answers correct. Your mistakes are erased, and you’re made whole by the God who wants you to succeed.
Every one of us will fail God’s sin test, but He offers free forgiveness so that we can clean up our record and ace His test. All it takes is a little humility and a simple request. When we admit that we’re wrong, and we ask Him to forgive us, He’ll wipe the slate clean and let us start over.
As you go through your week, don’t forget to take God up on His promise to forgive. Keep your slate clean and ask God to forgive you each day.
Reflection copyright © 2022 Doug DeBolt.
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
