I'm always on the look-out for good, educational books for my kids, and the other day, I found a "whopper." The title, The Old Farmer's Almanac Kids, doesn't really make the book sound like a fascinating kids' book, but once you open it, the stories just seem to jump off the page...for example, this true tale about a helpful shark. It seems that in 1799, a ship captain by the name of Thomas Briggs was arrested for smuggling goods between Aruba and the U.S.. He declared his innocence at his trial, knowing the defense didn't have much evidence to go on. However, the trial took an unexpected turn when a a British captain entered the courtroom with evidence to convict Briggs. Evidently, the captain had caught a shark at sea, finding papers in its stomach, detailing Briggs' smuggling operations written in his own handwriting! Briggs, realizing he was doomed, confessed to the crime and was convicted.
After reading the next few paragraphs, I hope you'll understand why I took you on this little historical detour. Reading this morning in Micah 7, I found this verse: You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea (19), which led me to another verse: As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us (Ps. 103:12).
Unlike Thomas Briggs, as Believers our sins - when forgiven - will never be brought against us again. Briggs was tried and convicted, because his sins were thrown into the depths of the sea, but resurfaced to prove his condemnation. Praise be to our God, who not only casts our sins into the sea when we ask for forgiveness, but separates them from us as far as the east is from the west. Our sins will never resurface to bring judgement upon us, because there are no longer any papers of accusation to be found.
On occasion, though, our sins DO resurface to haunt us. We go fishing on our own, reel in the shark, cut it open and pull out the papers one by one, convicting ourselves before Christ, nullifying in our own minds the forgiveness He's already granted. Ridiculous, don't cha' think?
On the other hand, sometimes the papers resurface for another reason. Un-confessed sin will not remain underwater. As followers of Christ, when we refuse to repent from a sin or choose to hide from it, the Spirit will go fishing on His own. He wants to bring you back into a right relationship with the Father, and He won't let that shark stay at the bottom of the ocean. He'll drag it up, inch by inch until you realize your waywardness from Christ, repent from your sin, and draw near once again to the Father.
So today, if you're struggling with the heaviness of your sin, do one of two things. First of all, if this thing that haunts you is un-confessed, confess it, repent (turn) from it, and follow after Christ. Yet, if this sin that haunts you has already been covered by the blood of Jesus, toss the thing back into the depths of the ocean where it belongs! Don't let Satan or your own mind use guilt to convict you and hold you captive over something that you've already been forgiven for. Guilt ties your hands and feet - to bind you - so that you will never know that you are not a convicted criminal, but FREE...and if the Son sets you free, you are free, indeed...no matter what.
Jesus, I praise You today for being my Redeemer...for taking my guilt upon the cross and removing it through Your sacrifice of life. Thank You that I no longer have to be bound by my past, nor held tight from my future because of my sin. Thank You that You took care of that for me. I praise You, Jesus. Praise You!
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