When I was 9 years old, I trotted out into our backyard with a couple of golf balls and a 9 iron in hand. It was time to practice my chipping. But with every swing the ball didn’t participate with my will. As my frustration grew (in truth it was anger that bubbled up with each unsuccessful attempt) I set out to punish the ball. Drawing back a full backswing, I brought my hips around like a pro and struck the ball beautifully! Only, my aim was towards the back of our house, and within a millisecond of the ball exiting the iron’s blade so perfectly, the moment of jubilation changed to horror as the sound of breaking glass rippled through the community.
What seemed so satisfying, ultimately proved very painful. Though I was home alone, and nobody had seen the incident, it would not go unnoticed. The broken window could not be hidden. I knew I had to confess what I had done.
And if you have ever been in a similar situation, you know how hard confession can be. It is a frightening act to look up to authority and confess to the one who has the ability to ascribe any sort of punishment or repercussions as a consequence of the act being confessed. And yet, if healing is to occur, it must be done.
We come to Lent with a cross of ashes placed on our foreheads. It is placed there with the reminder that we are but dust, and to dust we shall return. A dark Truth some may try to avoid, but to no avail. The Truth is we have sinned, all of us. Just like my parents would know the window was broken, Almighty God knows our sins, all of our sinful actions and thoughts. If we desire healing, we must stand before Almighty God and make our confession.
I didn’t intend to break that window, and the truth is, I never even considered the possibility. Those who are desiring to walk as Christ followers often stumble this way, falling into sin that they never saw coming until the act was already done.
On this Ash Wednesday, we are reminded just how much we need a Savior. We continue to stumble. We try to speak love, and by our words others can be hurt. We try to help, and by our actions others may suffer more. We may feel like failures, and begin to lose hope. But our verse for today reminds us there is hope, and our failures have been overcome-
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 ESV
Thank you Lord Jesus for your love! Amen.