Time to Make a U turn

Last year about this time I was taking a class called Teaching Children Effectively II through Child Evangelism Fellowship. The focus of the class was learning how to disciple a child who has put their faith in Christ. One of the segments we were required to teach to children was on confession and repentance. We were provided with materials to help us, but I had an experience around that time that became my lesson. Please keep in mind that it was designed and written for children, but it applies to us all.

One night I was driving home from my church in State college. My church is a place I go a lot, so I should certainly know the way home from there. That night it was dark and snowy, and the roads were white. There was snow falling on my windshield, and there had been some road construction so that things didn't quite look the same. Even though I should have known which way to go I let these things confuse me. I made the wrong choice and ended up on the wrong road. I was headed toward Altoona in completely the opposite direction of my house.

We all make wrong choices. The Bible calls the wrong things we do sin. Things like telling lies, hitting people, saying bad words, and sneaking cookies or candy when your parents aren't looking are all sin. Sinning is like getting on the wrong road, it takes you farther away from where you want to be. If you are God's child you should want to get closer to him, but sin takes you in the opposite direction.

I was headed in the opposite direction from my house, so what was I going to do? What would have happened if I had ignored it and just kept going? I would have ended up in Altoona or beyond. It certainly wouldn't have gotten me home. What did I need to do?

The first thing that I had to do was admit that I had made a wrong choice. The Bible says in
1 John 1:9 "if we confess our sins..." (that means if we tell God that we did something wrong) "He will forgive us..." (that means he won't be angry with us anymore). God already knows you sinned, but he wants you to admit that you were wrong.

It didn't take me long to realize I was on the wrong road and admit it, but I was still headed toward Altoona, not home. What else did I need to do? I needed to turn around and go the right direction. If we confess our sin but still keep doing it we are still getting farther away from God. When we turn around and chose to obey God instead of sinning we repent. Can you say that word with me? Repent. When we repent we are going in the right direction getting closer to God. I had to repent.

As soon as I could I turned around and started heading for home. When you are on a highway driving a car like I was you have to wait for an exit ramp before you can turn around. When you are living in a way that displeases God you can turn around right away. First confess (tell God you did something wrong), then repent (start making the choice to obey him).

It was so good to finally get home that night where I felt safe. It is even better to be close to God who made you and loves you and sent his Son to die for you.

If you have never asked Jesus to save you from your sin you haven't gotten on the right road yet. It is impossible to get close to God unless His Son has saved you. If you know you need to ask Jesus to save you from your sin you can talk to Him right now.

Reflections on the Water

As I gaze out of the glass door that leads from my bedroom to the world outside my house, I observe that the earth has been saturated by a heavy and steady rain. The little stream that ordinarily trickles at the side of the yard is gushing this morning. I notice something in the middle of the yard that I have seen before on occasions such as this. There is the suggestion of a stream that winds through the pasture where the ground is low, and when there is enough water it stretches out toward the more constant stream. I can see it running, but it falls short. The ground soaks it up before it ever reaches its destination. On dry days the path it follows is barely visible.

The stream at the side of the yard with its foaming rolling waters has a defined path that it follows. Its source is a spring in the wooded bank, and for most of the year there is at least moisture in its bed. At the bottom of our valley there is a larger creek that faithfully flows through town after town, pasture, field, wood and meadow.

This picture has caused me to reflect on life. That small trail of runoff is a sad sight. It brings to mind Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Praise be to God for sending His Son Jesus to become the bridge by which we may reach our destination which is everlasting life. John 3:16 tells us "for God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes on Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

The stream is me. As a growing Christian there are times when I am bubbling up to the brim. There are also seasons when all that can be detected is a bit of moisture. Many times I merely trickle. I would like to be more like the creek down in the valley. I know it has times when it is high and times when it is low, but it is always flowing, always moving toward the river.

I love to see water flow. It is one of my favorite parts of nature. I love to hike along a stream and watch the waters tumble and swirl. I praise the Lord that "He who began a good work in [me] will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6) He is my source and my supply. The ground will never be able to soak me up completely. I have a guarantee that I will make it to my destination - eternal life with Him!