Waves #3

Josh Knipple has been encouraging us with his wonderful devotionals. You won’t be disappointed with this one.

So I have been sharing about lessons learned from sitting on the beach staring out over the waves.  First off it was the idea that God doesn’t need you but He wants you.  Second was the idea that God loves you, and there is nothing that will separate you from the love of God found in Christ Jesus.  Today I want to finish these thoughts off with God’s forgiveness.  As I write this I would ask you mind to wander, pretending you are right there with us.

You see growing up I can remember my parents taking us to the shore late at night when no one else would be around.  Then my dad would have us pick up a handful of sand, placing it into our palms.  He would then tell us to look over the sand, “Can you number it?” Come on now Dad, how should I even take a guess.   “I don’t know, a couple thousand grains or so.”  Let’s just say that was his point,  beyond comprehension.  Then he would have us close your fist back up.  Take a moment right now in your mind, feel those thousands of grains of sand between your fingers.  Yes, I know some of you might hate the sand and even this idea gets you complaining but follow me here.

My dad would then ask us a profound question, “can you count all the times you have screwed up?”  Come on now Dad, do you really want me to admit that, so a simple “Beyond my counting ability” would suffice.  I will never forget him looking at us very seriously and simply saying, “just like the sand in your hands.  Now close your eyes for a moment and take a moment of confession before the Lord praying your sin onto that sand.”  In my mind I kept thinking, Dad this is kinda weird but he had a point.  After we would say amen he would tell us to do one final thing.  We would walk to the edge of the water and then he would have us throw that sand as far as we could out into the waves.  Never to be seen again.  Gone!  Washed away by the waves.

Your sin is the same way.  Forgiveness in Christ.  1 John 1:9 tells us that if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive.  You praying over that handful of sin is your moment of confession, placing your sin upon Christ trusting Him to forgive you.  Then the waves crashing over it is like the moment of baptism, washing over that sin, gone.

What is it in your life today that you need to confess?  What do you need forgiven of?  Maybe it is time to grab that handful of sand and throw it into the ocean?  Or how about off the incline?  Never to return again.

One final thought with this idea of forgiveness, maybe it is someone untrue life you need to forgive?  Will you pray their name over the sand instead and then throw it?  Or do you keep it in a closed fist.  So many times in life, we love the idea of God’s grace in our own lives, but aren’t willing to offer that same grace to others.

Hopefully in reading about the lessons of God’s grace from the ocean waves it will give you a fresh perspective.  Maybe you will learn also why I am such a beach bum at heart.

Make it a Thankful Thursday! God is good…