by Rev Steve Nickodemus

And Forgive me my Trespasses…

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.  Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”
Psalm 51:1-2

I have worked in some very dirty jobs.   Disking new ground with clouds of dust covering me with grime.  Bales of hay dropping off an elevator covering me with chaff and dirt.  Digging in wet ground and being covered with mud.

Being covered with dirt doesn’t feel good.  You can go on functioning in soiled clothes but it sure leaves a trail of dirt behind you and makes everything filthy that you touch.

But how great it feels at the end of the day when you strip off the dirty clothes and climb into a warm, cleansing shower.  In five minutes you are squeaky clean and ready for new clean clothes!

Sin is that way.  It is like a layer of grime that you cannot get rid of, a deep down soiling of everything you do or say or even touch.  Sin messes up every relationship in your life and worst, adulterates and ruins your relationship with God.  You cannot go into the holy presence of God with your stinking, dirty sin.

But God has provided a cleansing shower, His washing away of your sin by the blood of Jesus Christ.  His blood can cleanse the worst sinner and make you as clean as driven snow.  And after that cleansing shower of forgiveness in Jesus, your Lord gives you all new, clean robes of righteousness.  In the blood of Jesus you are cleansed and in His robe of righteousness you can stand before the Father, holy in His sight.

“There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins.
And sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains!”

Hallelujah!  Jesus has made me clean!

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado