A couple of months ago during a Sunday morning worship service, I was stunned by the sound of a shower running. I glanced outside to see if perhaps it was raining. It wasn't. I could literally hear the pulsating water beating against a tub floor. Then came the image of the shower water swirling around the drain. I thought Well that makes sense. A cleansing. Today, as I was about to turn off the shower, I was reminded of the image. The water swirling around the drain. Down it goes with all of the dirt, all of the unpleasantness of the day, all washed away and out of sight. Then, I think...It IS washed away, out of sight, AND it does not return. Hhmm...unless there is a clogged pipe, the water does not come back up. The filth is gone. (The clogged pipe will likely be the subject of another blog!)
So, of course, I started thinking about where the water goes once it leaves the drain. Approximately 25% of the water evaporates or seeps back into the ground. The other 75% is discharged to septic tanks and sewage-treatment plants where the water is cleansed and released into streams or often times it is reused for other purposes like watering parks and golf courses. And so it goes with sin...
I love, love, love the Amplified's version of Psalm 86:5. "For You, O Lord, are good, and ready to forgive [our trespasses, sending them away, letting them go completely and forever]; and You are abundant in mercy and loving-kindness to all those who call upon You." How awesome is that! "Letting them go completely and forever..." Our sin, dirt, filth is washed down the drain and evaporated. Gone forever.
The same concept should be applied when forgiving others. We must let it go down the drain and not keep bringing it back up. The Amplified version covers this so explicitly as well. I point you to Mark 11:25 which is recorded as, "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop." Leave it. Let it drop.
There is also significance in the water that is cleansed and reused. This part of the process is representative of those sins in our lives that have left their stain so to speak. A mark, a scar, perhaps. That sin is washed away, forgiven, covered under the blood. However, the experience, the sowing and reaping, can be used to help someone else. Dictionary.com defines reuse (use) as "to employ for some purpose; put into service; make use of." Reused, employed for His glory, poured into streams of healing, restoration.
For me, that is the whole purpose of this blog. I have been through too much (most of which was a result of wrong choices and all out rebellion) to not share my experiences. If one person is helped, then isn't it worth it? So many things that came my way which was meant for my harm has ultimately been for good. It has been a long journey, a tough journey, but a journey I am so thankful to have traveled. And it's not over, yet!
Jeremiah 31:34b "...For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will [seriously] remember their sin no more."
So, of course, I started thinking about where the water goes once it leaves the drain. Approximately 25% of the water evaporates or seeps back into the ground. The other 75% is discharged to septic tanks and sewage-treatment plants where the water is cleansed and released into streams or often times it is reused for other purposes like watering parks and golf courses. And so it goes with sin...
I love, love, love the Amplified's version of Psalm 86:5. "For You, O Lord, are good, and ready to forgive [our trespasses, sending them away, letting them go completely and forever]; and You are abundant in mercy and loving-kindness to all those who call upon You." How awesome is that! "Letting them go completely and forever..." Our sin, dirt, filth is washed down the drain and evaporated. Gone forever.
The same concept should be applied when forgiving others. We must let it go down the drain and not keep bringing it back up. The Amplified version covers this so explicitly as well. I point you to Mark 11:25 which is recorded as, "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop." Leave it. Let it drop.
There is also significance in the water that is cleansed and reused. This part of the process is representative of those sins in our lives that have left their stain so to speak. A mark, a scar, perhaps. That sin is washed away, forgiven, covered under the blood. However, the experience, the sowing and reaping, can be used to help someone else. Dictionary.com defines reuse (use) as "to employ for some purpose; put into service; make use of." Reused, employed for His glory, poured into streams of healing, restoration.
For me, that is the whole purpose of this blog. I have been through too much (most of which was a result of wrong choices and all out rebellion) to not share my experiences. If one person is helped, then isn't it worth it? So many things that came my way which was meant for my harm has ultimately been for good. It has been a long journey, a tough journey, but a journey I am so thankful to have traveled. And it's not over, yet!
Jeremiah 31:34b "...For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will [seriously] remember their sin no more."
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