My favorite journey every spring is loading our kids and dog into Clifford the Big Red Suburban (aptly named by our Kylie) and driving up to Estes Park and into Rocky Mountain National Park. As we drive, I look for signs of new growth. I look for “critters.” Above all, I let my spirit find rest in the beauty of God’s magnificent creation!

At the supper-side of our journey, we always stop in downtown Estes Park at Bob and Tony’s Pizza. We order our pizza and the kids play Pac Man, Pinball or Big Game Hunter for awhile.  Then they sit at the table and use their small boxes of crayons to color the children’s menu. Finally, we travel home–feeling slap-happy-and-worn-out-tired.

One spring, we had gotten home from our usual trip. I began the laundry the next day, as I always do.  I washed and dried and washed and dried. When I got to folding, I found a stain on my new, white t-shirt I had gotten at Estes Park. I set it sadly aside.  Then I went to fold the next item–a stain–and the next and the next.  The stains were multicolored–red, blue, yellow and green. Hmmm…the crayons!  The crayons had been washed and dried! Immediately, I am thinking I have just “set in” the stains by drying them.

Grabbing my handy-dandy stain remover, I tried to remove the stain and NOT dry them this time.  Again and again, I washed these items of clothing–to no avail. The stains were SET FOR LIFE.

Oftentimes, I believe we look at our sins this way.  We believe some sin can be washed away by Jesus’ magnificent stain-remover, His own blood. Then we look at the “heavier” sins.  Surely those sins are set in for we have flagrantly steeped in them long enough.  So we ask for forgiveness–over and over–never living like we believe we ARE forgiven. Like those crayon-stained items of clothing, we truly believe that these sins cannot be washed away and we are set for life. 

We ask forgiveness. We walk away. We may feel free for a time, but then we inspect it more closely.  We still see the stains.  Surely we should feel different, right?  So we must have not asked forgiveness properly.  We try again…and again…and again, trying different approaches. Our focus is on our sin, our stains, how we feel and we act like it’s all about us–me-mentality.

Sadly, we leave out the most important fact in the whole scenario! Jesus’ blood covers and washes away ALL sin–not just the little sins (as we might see it), but every single sin.  In fact, and this is for you Pharisees (rule keepers) like me, every sin is abhorrent to God–sin is sin is sin. The lie. The adultery. The rage. The greed.  In God’s eyes, it is all sin–all abominable before our Holy God. Our relationship with Him is broken.

The WONDERFUL NEWS is this: God forgives each and every one of them, if you ask Him.  He forgives the first time you come repentant and asking.  He forgives over and over for repeated sins. He forgives completely. He restores our relationship–it’s about Him and us together.

One thing you must know–your heart before Him must come in humility (not humiliation) and certainly not with pride and rebellion (Isaiah 63:10).  He sees the difference. Honestly, you know the difference.  How may times have you heard someone say, “I’m sorry” and their tone does not reveal nor reflect sorrow, repentance or a humble spirit.  In fact, it is spit out.  And what they are sorry for is that they got caught and {big sigh}, “I guess I better say sorry, so you’ll get off my back.” Right?  We know the difference in how it sounds, so we know when we repent before God if we came in humbleness and not pride. There is no need to rehash and rewash it.  That sin is forgiven!  Those stains are gone–as far as the east is from the west!  God loves you and has compassion on you. (Psalm 103:11-13)

Now go and sin no more, as Jesus told the woman caught in adultery–repent, turn from your sins and follow Jesus (John 8:2-12).

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