Remind me....
December 31
Somewhere in the midst of 20 of us hunkering down here over the holidays and feeling a bit overwhelmed, I looked at our daughter and said, "Remind me of this moment when I think this would be fun to do this again." The majority of the kids have headed back to their homes with their spouses, children and pets. Most of the towels and sheets are washed and the decorations are beginning to come down and already I miss having them all here. We even slipped into Target on one airport run and purchased half price wrapping paper should we attempt this feat again and I need to wrap 143 packages!
I feel certain at some point in the middle of natural childbirth I told my husband I never wanted to deliver a baby again, yet I did it six times.
So it is with our sin...we are brought to repentance and tell the Lord we don't ever want to stand before him guilty of such a sin again, yet we fall and come before him needing to be cleansed from the same offense. Sad, but true.
As 2012 closes out and I reflect on our many blessings, our moments of thanksgiving, the lessons we have learned, the people we have loved and those who have come into our lives this year, as well as those whose earthly lives have ended, I also am reminded of my many sins which have been forgiven and humbly bow my head in prayer. Stepping into 2013, I pray the Holy Spirit will be quick to remind me of the clean up process which had to take place when I gravitated to those sinful areas and with God's help may I steer clear of sin this year.
Here is a clean up crew which was in action Christmas Eve...
Somewhere in the midst of 20 of us hunkering down here over the holidays and feeling a bit overwhelmed, I looked at our daughter and said, "Remind me of this moment when I think this would be fun to do this again." The majority of the kids have headed back to their homes with their spouses, children and pets. Most of the towels and sheets are washed and the decorations are beginning to come down and already I miss having them all here. We even slipped into Target on one airport run and purchased half price wrapping paper should we attempt this feat again and I need to wrap 143 packages!
I feel certain at some point in the middle of natural childbirth I told my husband I never wanted to deliver a baby again, yet I did it six times.
So it is with our sin...we are brought to repentance and tell the Lord we don't ever want to stand before him guilty of such a sin again, yet we fall and come before him needing to be cleansed from the same offense. Sad, but true.
As 2012 closes out and I reflect on our many blessings, our moments of thanksgiving, the lessons we have learned, the people we have loved and those who have come into our lives this year, as well as those whose earthly lives have ended, I also am reminded of my many sins which have been forgiven and humbly bow my head in prayer. Stepping into 2013, I pray the Holy Spirit will be quick to remind me of the clean up process which had to take place when I gravitated to those sinful areas and with God's help may I steer clear of sin this year.
Here is a clean up crew which was in action Christmas Eve...
We can all relate to Romans Chapter 7. (The Message)
17-20 But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’treally do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
21-23 It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
24 I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?
25 The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
