“If we say, "We
aren't sinful" we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
John 1.8
I can’t explain why I had a
water balloon in church. I simply
did. It’s about 1974 and the church is
in Rochester, Texas. I am all of nine
years old. It’s somewhere around 11:30
on a Sunday morning; the hymn singing is over and my dad – the church pastor is
making his way into the morning message.
I’m on the back pew with my friends Rob and Ron Ballard. Their dad, a man known by the name “Cracker”
is sitting to my left and Rob and Ron are to my right.
Rob and Ron knew I had the
water balloon. It might as well have
been a live animal…or a hand grenade.
Their eyes told the story of their sense of concern for my
contraband. I had a water balloon…in
church. Again, I have no idea where I
got this balloon, or why I felt the need to bring it to church. However, I did manage to keep it hidden for
the first half of the service. I was a
clever sort. I had now placed it behind
me against the pew so that the elder Mr. Ballard would not know I had it.
All was well until somewhere
during what must have been my father’s first sermon point, when I grew restless
in the pew and decided to adjust my posture.
I scooted back in the pew and pressed the balloon beyond its capacity to
keep the water. Suddenly a veritable
Niagara of water is unleashed behind me…and not only me…but reaching Cracker
Ballard as well. He was not amused! My immediate reaction was to say, “Where did
that water come from????”
Suddenly, the four of us were
scrambling to escape the flood. Our
commotion did not escape my father’s gaze.
From there on the back row, I could see his scowl. I was in deep water…and not the water
spreading there across the back pew.
This figurative deep water would be back at home. And it would be very…very hot.
Honest, I didn’t do it!
We learn from a very early
age that with the admission of guilt comes swift judgment and punishment. Not wanting to suffer the consequences of our
actions, we learn to deny, and ultimately lie about our involvement. We didn’t do it. No matter the evidence or proof of the opposite,
we weren’t involved.
This week, I saw a show on
television, which highlighted the life of the Philadelphia Parking
Authority. The PPA agents walk up and
down the street monitoring parking violations and issuing tickets. I was amazed at the practically universal
need of mature adults to stand bold faced and lie to the camera about how their
car…which is STILL illegally parked in the street…is not breaking the law. Further, how unjust the PPA agent is for
writing them a citation. They had done
NOTHING wrong. This caused me to think
about how foolish my denials must seem to my heavenly Father.
Okay…It was me.
I did it.
It is a shocking revelation
when we come to realize that our denials mean nothing to the Father. He knows not only our sinful actions, but
also the intentions of our heart…AND the very nature of sin within us. He desires that we come clean with our
sin. 1John 1:9 says: “If we confess our
sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from
all unrighteousness.”
Suggesting that we have done
no wrong makes no difference. We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because the nature of sin is a part of
our make up. It’s our nature. That’s why we need Jesus so desperately. We have an advocate. If we confess, he is faithful to
forgive. Let’s start the week off right
and come clean. Okay?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I confess what
you already know. I sin. And I admit that I have sinned…by my
thoughts, words and deeds. Forgive me
Lord, and renew a right spirit within me.
As King David prayed, wash me thoroughly of my iniquity, and cleanse me
of all my sin. I want to please you in
all I do. Help me. In your name I pray, Amen.
