Devotion "I'm Clean"

But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from everything we’ve done wrong.   1 John 1:9 CEB

When my children were small they loved to dig in the back yard. They would add water to the dirt and pat the mud into “cakes.”  At the end of the day they desperately needed a bath. Often their knees had brown dried, cracked mud on them. Their hands and arms were discolored from digging. Their was soil between their bare toes. They were too filthy to come inside so I would rinse them off outside.  Eventually I noticed the creases of skin and hidden places where dirt stuck to sweat and their skin took on a grey color. We called it permadirt, (permanent dirt.) Only thorough and repeated scrubbings removed it. 

As I have struggled with particular sins for a long time—grumbling, giving in to a quick temper—I  sometimes feel like I am covered with permadirt. I chide myself for lack of progress in overcoming these unkind attitudes. I feel they characterize me.

But the verse today reminds us that sincere confessions are followed by cleansing. There is no limit on how many times I can be forgiven, because Jesus did it once for all on the cross. Furthermore, I’m scrubbed clean.  God does not look at me, check behind my ears, under my chin and see permadirt. 

PRAYER

Lord God, I thank you that you both forgive and cleanse me. You do not see me as soiled or defiled, and I should not see myself that way either. Amen.

Anger, Part 2

... continued from March 10...


The next day I tried not to look across the street while I gardened. I hoped the dog would stay home.  At the sound of a truck coming up my driveway I looked up. It was my neighbor. 

My shoulders sagged. My chin dropped while I expelled a big sigh. I really didn't want to pick up where we'd let off. And I was quite defensive. 

He climbed out of the truck and handed me a bag. "I replaced your husband's gloves. I hope they're the right size."

"Well, thank you."

"I want to apologize for the way I talked to you last night. I feel real bad about it. Nobody deserves to be treated that way." He went on to explain that it's been a bad night. They'd had sad family news. 

"Thank you for the apology. In fact, it's an answer to my prayer. I really appreciate your coming over." I reached out and offered my hand. I felt myself get teary.

We shook firmly. "Thank you for forgiving me. " He was a little teary too. 
We then went on to resolve our difference of opinion. 

When he climbed in the cab and left, I considered that we were much better neighbors than we'd been before. 

I'll keep praying for him because I've found that anger has to be controlled or it becomes a habit of mind. An irritable person can find plenty to dislike about other fallible people. 

In this case I believe God did change the neighbor's heart. It encouraged me to see his humility and desire to make peace. 

Anger clings onto offenses. Conversely, peace opens our hearts and minds to release them. May we all be more willing to let go.