One frustrating mistake when using a whiteboard is accidentally using a permanent marker to write on it. It is not uncommon to use a Pentel pen to jot something down, only to find out later that the notes have been permanently written and these markings are now difficult to erase.
When we sin or do something we deem unforgivable and shameful, we also get into the same urge of badly needing to erase what we have done. We wanted to remove the mark right away, only to find out that even an eraser could not wipe off what we have written. It is the same thing with our lives, we cannot erase our wrongdoings on our own.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23
Our Lord and Savior is the only one that could help us have clean hearts anew. He is the only one who can extinguish guilt, the sting of bad memories, anger, resentment, bitterness, and regrets in our hearts.
What we deem unforgivable, He can forgive. In fact, He even goes beyond forgiving, He forgets what we have done and allows us to start on a clean slate.
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
How do we attain this state of clean conscience? How do we practically remove the seemingly indelible mark of sin in our lives? Well, we surrender our lives to Jesus. We build a personal relationship or recommit our lives to Him by sincerely asking for His forgiveness for things that we have done.
“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
We also ask for His grace to follow His teaching and commands and step away from the sins that have been enslaving us. We then grow our faith by praying to Him everyday — thanking Him for all that He has done for us, saying sorry for the sins we have committed, and asking for His guidance and help.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
God’s mercy is so overpowering that there is nothing that we can do that would make Him love us less. He is waiting for us to come back to Him. He longs to bless us with the abundant life that He offers to us. He planned for us a life with His presence and love. A life with the awareness and the ability to enjoy His blessings. More importantly, a life that is capable of enduring inevitable hardships in this lifetime through His protection and grace.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” Psalm 23:6
Unlike us humans who are born sinners, our Lord and Savior is perfect. He will never make a mistake to use a permanent marker on a white board. Instead He uses the write type of pen — a whiteboard pen — so that He could easily erase the mistakes we have committed and fully forget about these.
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 23 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Do you want to erase a mistake you have committed in the past? Have you asked God to help you with this?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, thank you for being faithful to cleanse us from our unrighteousness. Give us the confidence to come to you and ask for your forgiveness. We know that only you can make us new. Amen.
