1 JOHN 1:9
If we confess our sins to him,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
RETURNING ROCKS
K arina and her family visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which spans two southern states in the United States. In a letter to the park’s rangers, she expressed her particular enjoyment of Tom Branch Falls. She loved it so much, she had taken a rock home with her as a memento. As a young girl, Karina may not have known it was ille- gal to do so. At some point she realized her error and sent a letter apologizing and included the rock so it could be returned to the falls.
Karina’s apology—and the gracious response of the rangers—models for us how to turn from our sins and ask for God’s forgiveness. The apostle John encourages us that “if we confess our sins,” God will forgive us (1 JOHN 1:9). The act of acknowledging what we’ve done wrong, to Him and to those we’ve wronged, is the first step back in the right direction. Even though we don’t always want to admit our mistakes, pretending we’re perfect or “without sin” is simply self-deceit (V. 8).
The park rangers responded to Karina with grace, thanking her for returning the rock and recognizing that she was becoming a good steward of the natural resources of the park. By admitting our guilt, we honor the sacrifice made for us by Jesus, who gave His life in payment for it and rose again to give us new life. God faithfully and generously responds with His forgiveness.
KIRSTEN HOLMBERG
What unconfessed wrong doing exists in your life? How can you seek forgiveness today?
Father God, I admit my many sins and shortcomings to You. I’m sorry for each of them and humbly ask for Your forgiveness. Thank You for Jesus’ sacrifice on my behalf.
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE | 1 JOHN 1:5–10
5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.
6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.
7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.
9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
