trbccoffeebreak

“If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.” Proverbs 1:23 (NIV)

Reaching inside the oven, I intended to touch the top of a delicious muffin to see if it was done. Instead, my finger hit the side of the pan. Ouch! Ouch! Instantly, I drew that finger back, but the redness was already appearing. When my husband heard my scream, he ran into the kitchen and made me put my finger on an ice cube for twenty minutes. I didn’t enjoy it at the time, but today I am thankful because I don’t have a blister and the pain is very minimal.

Ever find yourself reaching in or testing a hot, fiery oven of sin? Ouch! Ouch! We were looking for pleasure, but instead we met the sting and throbbing pain of sin. Sometimes, we ignore the pain and keep trudging on. Other times, we draw back and hover in the corner wallowing in the guilt and shame. However, the best reaction is to cry out to God and respond to His correction. We may not enjoy it at the time, but if we respond to His rebuke, He promises to pour out His heart to us. God’s desire is always relationship, revealing Himself to us even when we mess up. His rebuke doesn’t come without His love attached, and rejecting His rebuke is ultimately rejecting His heart. If we seek forgiveness for the sake of “feeling better” then we miss the whole point. Forgiveness cleanses us so our sin is not wasted but rather purified to receive God’s knowledge at a deeper level.

“Father, thank You for melting away the shame of my sin with your grace and lovingly sharing Your heart with me.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break