Today’s Scripture Reading:Ezekiel 40:38-43:27
Some of my earliest memories are in church. In those early years my mom took us to church a couple of times a week. Somewhere around the age of 9 I began to understand the gospel. At this young age I started to grasp the magnitude of my sin.
I know, 9 year olds don’t have a lot of sin, right?
What I mean is, I began to understand I had inherited a sinful nature from my ancestor Adam.
A battle began in my young heart.
A battle for my soul.
Every Sunday, as our pastor preached I would feel the need to walk down the aisle and make a public confession of faith in Jesus Christ, but something held me back.
I would think things like…
“I’m too young. “
“This is what the adults do.”
“I’m not a bad kid.”
So each week I would put it off.
The weeks turned into months, the conviction was so strong that the moment we drove into the parking lot and I saw the church that feeling would come over me…
Lord, I’m ashamed of my sin!
Those childhood memories came rushing back when I reach these verses in today’s reading…
“Son of man, describe to the people of Israel the Temple I have shown you, so they will be ashamed of all their sins. Let them study its plan, and they will be ashamed of what they have done. –Ezekiel 43:10-11
The people of Israel had abandoned their God, their laws, and traditions. Their Temple had been destroyed and they were in Babylonian exile. God knew that when they saw the plans for the new Temple that He personally designed, the magnitude of their sins would flash before them…and they would feel shame.
In today’s culture the thought of God wanting us to be ashamed and feel shame doesn’t fit with our “I’m okay and your okay” way of thinking.
But
The only way we can come to Christ is through the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we need to be ashamed and experience the feeling of shame to be able to break free of our sins.
Thankfully, during my 10th year of life, I walked that aisle, confessed my sins, accepted Jesus as my Savior, and began to live my life for him.
What about the feelings of shame?
The minute I walked down the aisle they were gone!
Has it ever returned?
Yes, when I’ve gone against God’s Word but God’s forgiveness is only a prayer away!
Here’s the good news.
God does not want Christians to live a life of shame. Whether you accept Him as your Savior when you’re 10 or 100, whether your sins are as innocent as a 10-year-old or as depraved as the worst sinner; HE WILL TAKE AWAY THE SHAME!
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. –1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins He is faithful to forgive us
AND
Cleanse us from all our wickedness!
Our job is to accept that forgiveness and be free.
If you’ve accepted Christ as your Savior and asked for His forgiveness and you’re still feeling shame and condemnation, that is not the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
Recognize where that shame is coming from, assign it to the proper owner (the enemy of your soul)…
AND…
Be free my friend!
In Jesus’ Name be free!
© 2012 Dianne Guthmuller
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 44:1-46:24
