Hebrews 10:10 – For God's will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. (NLT)

Quail scurried through the breeze-toasted grass that carpeted the hillsides dotted with green-leafed oak trees. Today, their three-syllable call didn't sound like "Chic-a-go." Instead, I heard, "Let it go." Looking at the creek, I wished that I could step into a cleansing pool and step out again, washed clean of a poor decision, my own guilt, and the vicious gossip that condemned me. I dove into the water, and when I surfaced, wiping water from my eyes, my heart quickened with understanding. Long ago, Jesus Christ had forever purified me before God.

In my youth, as a fledgling Christian, I hadn't understood that God offered forgiveness even when a person sinned after baptism. Humiliation and pride had kept me from asking questions of the pastor and my family, so I had sunk into the quicksand of shame and sorrow. But, now, I grasped it. Christ died once at Calvary to pay the price for every burden of sin. As a believer, my sins are thrown into the deepest sea, never to be remembered. So, with gratitude, I finally began to understand with a repentant heart, "Let it go." Let each one of us examine ourselves. Perhaps we need to "Let it go."

My Lord was ridiculed, condemned, and tortured to death for the sins of the entire world. He understands loneliness, rejection, and abuse. Although we are forgiven by God, we may continue to suffer earthly consequences from our actions and from the firestorm of damning cruelty from other people. However painful my journey, compared to what Christ suffered, my problems now seem insignificant. We are blessed that God's gift of mercy allows us to place our sin — and self-condemnation — into the cleansing pool of Christ's righteousness, so that we emerge sanctified by His holiness.

Prayer: Dear Father, thank You for making provision for purification throughout our entire lives. Our beloved Jesus Christ is our holy cleansing pool. Amen.

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About the author:

Karen Milam <karenbmilam@gmail.com>
Penn Valley, California, USA
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