Overlooking Sin?

I removed some pictures from the wall last week as I redecorated just a bit. At first, I would see the holes in the wall every time I walked by. I’d see them out of the corner of my eye, and do a double-take, thinking, “Oh, a bug”. But I noticed that, as the week went on, I stopped noticing the holes. It just hit me today that sin can be like that.

At first, we might notice something’s wrong; it stands out like a blotch on the wall. But after awhile, if we leave it there, eventually, we become calloused to that sin. After awhile, it doesn’t seem very bad at all. We can successfully ignore it!

I wrote a devotional about sin; the following is an excerpt from my cookbook/devotional, From the Land of Milk and Honey.

“When I kept silent about my sins, my bones began to weaken because of my groaning all day long. Day and night your hand laid heavily on me. My strength shriveled in the summer heat. I made my sins known to you, and I did not cover up my guilt. I decided to confess them to you, O Lord. Then you forgave all my sins.” PSALM 32:3-5

I overlooked my sin for some time. Trying to ignore the sin, as I might ignore garden refuse that needs composting, I said, “Yeah, I know it’s there. I’ll get to it some day.” Dealt with promptly, composting can be simple. But it putrefies when ignored. So also my sin! In dealing with it, I discovered Jesus provides a complete solution. I don’t have to overlook my sin, ignoring its putrefying presence. Our friend’s twenty-one-year-old son died recently, confronting us with the issue of human mortality. The pastor’s question at the memorial service was, “Are you sure you’re going to heaven when you die?” Friends and family of the deceased know this young man is in heaven now. He had not ignored his sin, but had brought it before the Lord in good time. There may not be a future time to deal with that compost pile. Right now is the only time we have for sure.

Excerpt from: From the Land of Milk and Honey, a cookbook/devotional by Jennifer Cote.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennifer Cote has been running The New Deli of Pinole, CA, with husband Tom for over twenty years. As a chef and cookbook author, with a small business and two kids to raise, Jennifer discovered efficient practices and great recipes along the way. Now a grandmother as well, sharing life lessons in between recipes helps her keep things in perspective.