1 John 1:9

This was something I realised while reading the Bible one day in Zambia. It encouraged me tremendously, and I thought I'd just post it here, and I hope it encourages you too :)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

~ 1 John 1:9 ~

Cleansing is like washing or cleaning. When we wash or clean ourselves, the dirt on us is removed for ever - we do not think about where it's washed to, we just clean it off and forget about the dirt. Sometimes we do think back to how dirty we were before being cleaned, and appreciate even more the fact that the dirt is off us. But after a while, we get dirty again, and we need to clean ourselves again...

I guess that's what John's talking about here. Each time we repent, God forgives us and washes our sins away - for good. He doesn't remember them or keep an account of all the wrong things we've done. But because we're human, we fall into sin again, and have to come back to God once again to seek forgiveness. It's a cycle all through life.

But thankfully, we have a loving, merciful and forgiving God who understands our condition and continues to cleanse us again and again, without judging or condemning us despite His holiness and authority. It is amazing how a God so self-sufficient and all-powerful would desire to have a relationship with sinful man... Even in Genesis, there's a prophecy about Jesus. In Genesis! Right at the beginning, God had already hinted at an everlasting king from the house of Judah! God's plan for redeeming man is so full of love, and He has amazed me once again by His unconditional love for us human beings.

And Jesus too, I'm sure He knew right from the start that He'd have to come to earth as a mortal man to die for the sins of the world, and yet He did it willingly - leaving His heavenly throne to come down to earth to be with men who were steeped in sin... To suffer a humiliating death for doing no wrong, being hated by those for whom He was dying. This is unfailing and unconditional love...

I do wonder how it is that I can doubt God's love sometimes. I guess in my near-sightedness and narrow-mindedness, I don't always see the big picture. I mean, I never do. But I forget the price that Jesus paid for me to be free. I even trap myself in my own sin, thinking that I'm too sinful to be in communion with Christ, effectively undermining the power of Christ's death and resurrection, and falling deeper into sin and guilt - not God's plan for my life at all, especially when He died so that I could be free in Him.

May I never forget the price Jesus paid for me, never forget His sacrificial and unconditional love, never forget that right now, He's preparing a place for me in Heaven :)