Guilty but Forgiven

I write this post with a big admission.  I am now officially a criminal.  Yesterday, a very nice police officer presented me with a present-a speeding ticket.  What is sad about this situation is that I was on a residential road with heavy school and work traffic.  I had been glancing at my speedometer to make sure I was in the legal limit, however, when I topped and preceded down a hill, my speed went up just as the police was passing by.  I got caught and was found guilty!  My heart was broken.  To make matters worse, I called my husband to tell him the news and he laughed.  My oldest son, who is a state trooper, gave me the “trooper” talk and snickered.  My youngest son, who has the uncanny ability to get out of a ticket, fell on the floor laughing.  However, none of their attempts to make me laugh or feel better changed the fact that I was guilty. 

 

Have you ever noticed that when you are caught in a sin people try to make you think it isn’t that bad or sometimes they will laugh and mock you for failing?  Within all our churches walls there are individuals who cheat, lie, spread gossip, etc who never admit to their wrong doing or worse try to smooth things over.  However, God does not laugh at our sin.  He is broken hearted. 

Many times people do not realize that their “little sin” can lead to a pile of stinky stuff.  Just like me going down that hill thinking I was within the speed limit, some people slip into sin gradually.  They are shocked when they are caught.  Just read the newspaper or watch the news of the recent fall of many individuals caught in adultery/pornography.  It is heart wrenching.  Lives are destroyed. Families are torn apart.

Thankfully, we have a forgiving God.  Sure, He may have to discipline us to get our attention.  However, if we are truly heartbroken over our sin and cry out to Him, God is always willing to forgive because that is His nature. The best part of His forgiveness, unlike my crazy family who will be sharing this story at my funeral one day, is that He remembers it no more.