While sitting on the porch of a home in a small town in the Napa Valley I looked up to see a street sweeping machine work its way along the curb. “Humm,” I thought, “the street isn’t dirty.” It had been nine months since the leaves had fallen and the locals seem to take pride in their community and pick up any fallen piece of paper. About thirty minutes later I watched the same machine with the same driver do it again. To my amazement about thirty minutes later he came by for the third time. I thought, “Either this guy has a clean fetish or not enough to do and wants to collect a paycheck for working all day.”
I used to know a guy very much like that street sweeper. He just couldn’t bring himself to believe that Jesus really did forgive his sins. He would claim the promise in 1 John 1 that tells us, if we confess, God will forgive and cleanse us. He would pray, ask for forgiveness and be fine for a short while. But Satan taunted him into thinking he was being presumptuous to think he could be saved. His sins were so bad he was unforgivable. His very short lived freedom from guilt was soon overwhelmed with the depressive body and soul destruction of guilt. Soon he was praying again for God to forgive him of those very same sins of which he had already been cleansed. The joy of salvation continually eluded him. He kept sweeping the same street over and over and over.
We must not allow our feelings to negate the truth that God means what He says and is a promise keeper. When He says He forgives He means it. He is faithful and just. Put the street sweeper in the garage.
Written by Roger Bothwell on June 14, 2011
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org