The Clean Slate Club.

I belong to the Clean Slate Club, ever heard of it?  Probably not, cause I just made it up.  Not the Clean PLATE Club btw – although I pretty much could say I belong there too J.

This is a club consisting of totally white – blank – clean – non-encumbered nothing.  A “clean slate”. 

That’s what happens when God forgives. 

There is no “sort ofs” with this – no “almosts” – no “halfways” – it’s all or nothing.  It’s complete.  It’s forgotten.  It’s absolute.  It’s the way God works - it’s GRACE.

Psalm 51 says,

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.

For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in Your verdict
    and justified when You judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet You desired faithfulness even in the womb;
    you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Sinful, sinful from birth I am.  My heart is sinful, awful and I hate it.   And every day I confess it.  First, I have to realize the sin (that’s hard enough btw).   I don’t know about you, but I tend to play the blame game.  You know, it’s “her” fault I am so envious, or it’s because of “this” that I got angry.

No, it’s in MY heart and its sin.  “Sin is a matter of the heart before it is ever an issue of our behavior”, says Paul David Tripp.

This is where grace comes in.  Once I confess, God, in His rich mercy and love, and according to His compassion, washes it away.  Gets rid of it.  Cleanses me.  Wipes the slate clean.

Over           and            over               and               over                again.

The Clean Slate Club.  Wanna join?  Everyone is welcome.  It starts with getting down on your knees.