A Perpetual Do-Over

Reading: Acts 22

"'Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.' "Acts 22:16

Examination:

On the road to Damascus Paul met Christ and came face-to-face with the weight of his own guilt. Though he failed in a mighty way, the words of the Holy Spirit offered him an invitation to immediately be made clean.

Application:

The words from Acts 22:16 echo the most beautiful sentiment contained in all scripture; regardless of where I am or what I have done I can always pick myself up and start over again. The gift of my baptism into salvation created the luxury of having a perpetual do-over. If I am faithful to confess my sin, He is faithful to forgive my sin. The worse choice I can ever make is to allow my sin to hold me down and rob me of time.

Prayer:

Father the areas of failure in my life are no mystery. I have consistently failed in the same general areas for most of my life. It is amazing to me how You patiently sit and watch me struggle with the same sin over and over again.

This weekend has taken me back to some sins of my past and I have realized that I still carry their guilt. That is not mine to carry. The day I accepted Christ I surrendered to You everything that was mine; the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I am grateful today that I stand before You a new creature. I am comforted today that You no longer see the man I used to be. I am amazed that I get to greet each day by hearing You say, "Now why do you delay? Get up and confess your sins by calling on Christ's name. It’s a new day. Let's move on."

Strengthen me today to let go of the past and embrace the new day that is today.