Today we went to Bed Bath and Beyond shopping for a wedding present. I must confess after being involved with a hundred or more weddings through the years I am not very good at picking out good presents. I saw what I thought was a great bathroom scale. Nope, not according to my wife. Next I saw a nice light-weight floor sweeper. Nope, not according to my wife. I tried one more time when I spotted one of those “as seen on TV” tough-grade 12 inch ceramic red copper plated frying pan that defies scratches and is non stick. It even has a stay-cool handle. I scored. It’s a beauty.
It reminds me of us. Since we made Jesus the Lord of our lives we also are non-stick. Guilt and shame just slide off because according to I John 1, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Please don’t miss the words “cleanse” and “all.” Now this does not mean we can go around deliberately sinning and harming others and ourselves. That would be stupid because sinning is poisonous. Sin is harmful and leaves scars on our psyche. This is where we are different from the frying pan. It is non-scratch. Even though Jesus forgives us the scratches remain. But, I do have more good news. According to Paul in I Corinthians 15 a day is coming when this mortal puts on immortality and this corruption puts on incorruption. The scratches are removed. Christians should be the most psychologically healthy people in the world. We are provided with so much security and hope.
I should have started this with a spoiler alert. The groom often reads these devotionals and now he will know what we are giving him.
Written by Roger Bothwell on June 24, 2016
PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org