Day Two

Day Two of the June Scripture Writing Plan

{The challenge is that each of the daily scriptures takes ten minutes or less to copy out. Commit to spending ten minutes each day listening to God's voice as you simply copy these texts out of your Bible. I am furthering that challenge--for myself--to blog about each passage daily.}

Today's verses are as follow:
I John 1:8-10

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  
If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us."

Three key points are listed here, each with a consequence attached to it.  Personally, I like the second one best, 'cause it gives me an out instead of an ouch.  

Lying has always been my number one pet peeve.  Let me rephrase that:  being lied to has always been my biggest peeve.  Most of the time it is just so much easier to tell the truth.  Often, though, this can be painful--especially when we're hearing what we wished was different.  Some examples?  Sure!
*The test results show it's cancer.
*Yes, honey:  I did cheat.  It was only once, though.  (Mmn hmn.  Where's Aunt Boo to weigh in on this one?)
*You just don't have the right qualifications for this position.

Other examples of untruths that we so easily depend upon are as follows:
*No, those pants don't make your hips look big.
*No matter what, I'll always love you and choose you first.
*It's not you:  it's them!

Self-examination is a test most of us fail on a daily basis.  We deny the flaws, hide the scars, and put on our happy faces, all the while pushing down the fears, the hurts, the angers.  Instead of dealing with these emotions, we often tend to shove them deep into the furthest recesses of our inner beings, in hopes that they never come up and reveal the ugliness within our souls.  We never talk badly about anyone, always wish the best for everyone--even our enemies--and above all, we continually pray for those who need it the most.  We deny the pain caused to us (and by us).  We don't admit any culpability to the bad things going on around us (for we are so busy minding our own business that we don't get involved in the affairs of others).  Oh sure, every once in a while we gossip--but it's only so we can pray about that circumstance to God with all of our facts straight first.  Yeah.

Friends, isn't it time to put the cheat sheets away and be honest--not just with ourselves, but with one another?  Mostly, though, isn't it time we were real with our Lord?  He knows the truth.  He IS the Truth!  He sees our filth, our grime, our impure thoughts.  He knows that in spite of our greatest efforts we will still fall short.  He knows that regardless of our best intentions, we're going to run our mouths, put our noses where they don't belong, and our feet are going to travel paths that they have no business being on.  Mercifully, He gives us an out though!  It's this easy:  all we have to do is confess our sins.  

That's it?

That's it.

But, doesn't He already know?  Isn't it kind of rude to tell God things He is already aware of?  He's not stupid, you know.

No, He isn't ignorant of our thoughts, our behaviours, our intents.  That's why in His infinite wisdom He planned ahead a Sacrifice that would cleanse us, redeem us, and restore us to Him.  I'll close with this illustration to hopefully make it all clear.

I have recently been purchasing a series of books for kids written by Dan Carr, entitled "God, I Need to Talk to You About..." and the topics range from homework to video games to bullying to disrespect.  My five-year-old gson loves to read them and each time I get a new one, he decides which one is for him and which one his older brother needs to read.  They'll argue over them momentarily, each declaring certain ones are written particularly for the other, for--of course--he himself would never be in need of correction about bad manners himself when he is such a perfect child.  However, when no one is watching, I'll see each of them sneak and read that book.  It will be read intently and then put back on the table or shelf.  But for just a moment, those wonderful words of life are pondered on, read, and taken to heart.  These boys are getting the proper instruction at home and at church and are aware of what sin is.  Kind of like what these verses from I John are talking about.  We can't continue to deceive ourselves friends, especially when the Word is in us.  We can't negate what God has spoken.  But we can agree that we mess us, that we sin, and that we need to be forgiven and cleansed, yes?  

Yes, indeed.  Let's pray now.

Oh Father, once again, it's me in the need of prayer.  I so often turn a blind eye and a deafened ear to the things going on around me because I don't want to admit that at the center of them, it's me who has messed up, it's me who has provoked, and it's me who is denying the principles that have been set up for me to succeed and to have a right relationship with You.  

Once again I confess my faults to You--even though we both know You are already fully aware of them.  For when I do this, Lord?  Then I am communicating with You, and am not so ashamed that I run from You and the consequences of my actions.  Cleanse me from my unrighteousness, I pray, so that I may radiate Your light and get out of this darkness, I ask, in the name of Jesus.  Amen.