Fooling ourselves

“Suppose we claim we are without sin. Then we are fooling ourselves. The truth is not in us. But God is faithful and fair. If we admit that we have sinned, he will forgive us our sins. He will forgive every wrong thing we have done. He will make us pure. If we say we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar. His word has no place in our lives.”

1 John 1: 8-10

 Sin: the Greek word “hamartia” is derived from a technical word used in archery, which literally means, “to miss the mark.”

My Abba,

If your desired mark is your holy bullseye, I realize that sometimes I fail to land my arrow anywhere near the target. I know I sin. I miss your mark.

I think I just want to pretend I am not guilty of sin I consider less palatable. I don’t want to admit to the stuff I feel is rank. The three-day-old rotting junk in the trash bin just can’t belong to me. I want to see my transgressions as less offensive, more dainty and discreet.

This is a curious attitude that reveals lies I believe about you and me. When I entertain these lies, I am like a preschooler smearing around finger paints thinking I am a better “smearer” than the other kids who smear.

Therefore, by my faulty calculations, I should be admitted to the master’s class of artistry. Never mind that there has been only one who has ever made the cut, because you have to make perfect art to get in. My smeary mess is better than the one I made last week, and I think it is definitely better than the kid down the street.

Since you are perfectly holy and cannot collaborate with sin, any sin disqualifies me from an eternal relationship with you. You aren’t just better than me. You are perfect and I am not. It is binary. You are in that holy class by yourself. I cannot excel enough to be admitted.

When I work through it like this, I realize my foolishness. But please remind me, on a day-to-day basis, that I don’t have what it takes to earn my way into your good graces. I don’t deserve to spend forever with you because I am a reasonably nice person who on most days tries hard to hit the target.

Thank you that although I don’t hit the bullseye, you are flawless with a bow and arrow, never miss the mark of perfection, and have taken the shot for me.

I love you,

Mollie

 My child,

You are perfectly acceptable to me because of what Jesus did for you. He paid the full price for your admission into an eternity with me. Because you have received that gift, I have forgiven your sins – all of them – perfectly. As you do life with me, I will convict you of your sin, and will always remain faithful and fair to forgive your sin and cleanse you when you miss the mark.

Remember the scene in “My Fair Lady,” when they were trying to coax Eliza Doolittle into a bath. She clung to her dirty clothes and cried, “I’m a good girl, I am.” She didn’t see her foul state, so she didn’t understand the need for a bath.

Hiding your dirty laundry will never serve you well. I will not force you to accept my cleansing forgiveness. To receive my forgiveness, you have to resist the urge to huddle on top of the soiled stuff declaring, “It’s not that dirty!”

 As always, I want you to willingly receive what I have for you. My provision is matchless, and my forgiveness will truly set you free!

I love you,

Abba

photo: v.stuchelova