I’d like to share a story about my Grampa.  I was just a little tyke of four or five, when my Grampa occasionally babysat for an evening.  He was a hard-working man, short of stature, a man of few words, a gentle soul.  And when he came to babysit – he was all mine!   I can still picture him sitting on the sofa, pipe in hand, listening to the radio and listening to me.  I danced and pranced, twirling around the room like little girls do, until the fateful moment when I bumped into the coffee table and stumbled onto it.  There was a crackling noise as the pretty pedestal table fell to the floor – one leg broken off.  I stopped short, afraid of what would come next.  My face fell, I knew I was really in trouble this time.

Grampa sat calmly.  He looked at me.  He looked at the table.  Then he said quietly, “It’s OK.  I can fix it.”   He picked up the broken table and carried it out to his truck.   No more was said.  I was asleep in bed by the time my parents arrived home.  I’ll never know what Grampa said to them, but I know the subject of the table never came up – no scolding, no punishment.  About a week later the neatly repaired table was returned to our house and to its place in the living room.

I can still hear his wonderful words, “It’s OK, I can fix it.”   I was forgiven and it felt so good.

Isn’t that just what our Lord is saying to us when we stand before Him with our sins?   It’s OK. I have fixed it; you are forgiven.  We don’t have to stand in fear and trepidation. He won’t be raining down punishment upon us.  Blessing of all blessings, we are forgiven!

Always remember, you don’t need to be afraid. You ARE forgiven!   Enjoy that wonderful feeling.  Know that it’s really true.  Your guilt IS wiped away.  You can stop berating yourself.  Forgiveness comes as an amazing gift, and it’s a gift you can share when you also forgive others.  Read Acts 13: 38-39, and remember: God forgives you, and God loves YOU unconditionally.

Judy

Today’s Reading: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2013:38-39