Ever had the experience of taking a box of clothing to a thrift store to donate but on the way realize ‘wait a minute, how did that get in the box’ and you take something out? Or you’re having a yard sale to clear out your junk but your spouse put out something that is important to you and you bring it back in just before someone buys it? We cling to things that are material because they have a perceived value to us. What is precious to us is junk to others. Our sin is junk that holds us back from the freedom we can receive in Christ Jesus. There are times where we go to the altar and lay our sins down giving them all to him, but as we leave we quick grab and hold on to something just in case we may need it.
“He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”
Psalms 103:12 NLT
Jesus’ sacrifice for us was so amazing, so vast in nature that we sometimes cannot grasp what he has actually done for us. There are people out there who when they accept Jesus as their savour believe that Jesus couldn’t forget or wash away their sins, that he like all our dirty laundry as a teenager, is just gather in a ball and stuffed under the bed or in the closet. Out of sight out of mind, and one day maybe Jesus will pull items out and remind us of those filthy rags we used to wear. Jesus doesn’t do that, but some Christians do, instead of taking their sins to Jesus they choose to attempt to hide them away. When we hold onto these sins we set ourselves up to be in bondage to them.
Aren’t you glad that Jesus never told us to hide our sins from him? He offers to wash you white as snow, that means removing and tossing all sins in the trash. Not where we can access them but so far gone that we could never retrieve them. As far as the east is from the west. If you heading east, west is behind you, and no matter how far east you may travel west will always be behind you. Such a vast divide that can never be obtained, if he promised this separation from our sins why then would we want to hold onto them?
Do you have sin balled up in the closet? Is it starting to smell and permeate your life? If left to fester in your closet you will be tempted to check out the smell and even put them on for ” old times sake”. If that’s you, I pray that right now you ask Jesus to come in a clean up the closet of your life, give him access to all spaces of your life. Let him remove what you left behind, he will take it and make you fully clean. It is time to truly walk in the freedom Jesus has for you.
Jesus, take all my sins, as far as the east is from the west send them from me. I want to serve you with a clean heart, holding or hiding nothing from you. Holy Spirit indwell my life. Guide me, walk with me, put the mission of reaching people at the forefront of my heart and mind. Let me see others as you see them and constantly remind me that they matter to you, so they should matter to me. Amen
50 Days of Pray 