How well do you know the sins of which you are so easily capable? Examine your heart honestly and ask God to cleanse you and help you to acknowledge your sin.
I wonder… how well do you know yourself?
Well, hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and I realize you know your height and weight and Social Security number. I’m sure you know your CV code on the back of your credit card and the PIN number for your ATM. You probably can recite your passwords by heart, and immediately think of your favorite movies and music and recording artists. You know all these things about you, but do you know your sins? Can you easily name the ones you most often deal with every day? Can you tell when sin is trying to deceive you, or tempt you, or make a fool out of you, or get you into trouble, to doubt God? Do you understand its sneaky, underhanded ways? Well, John Calvin, in his Institutes, said that one could not truly know God without knowing oneself. He said, “As long as we do not look beyond the earth, being quite content with our own righteousness, wisdom, and virtue, we flatter ourselves most sweetly, and fancy ourselves all but demigods.”
In other words, if we are to know ourselves well, it means knowing the sin of which we are so easily capable. David told the Lord in Psalm 51:3, he says, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.” It’s always crouching at the door. It’s always trying to reclaim your soul. It’s why it says in Hebrews 3:13, it says, “Exhort one another every day, as long as [it’s] called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Look, when David wrote Psalm 51, he understood that if he did not know his sin, if he wasn’t keenly aware of the wrong he was capable of, sin could so easily deceive him and harden him against God. I think that’s probably why he said to God in Psalm 51, “Against you, you only, [God] have I sinned.” When we allow our little iniquities and transgressions to gain the upper hand, they end up – get this – hardening our hearts against God. Oh, and you don’t want that!
So, I will ask you again to examine your heart. Do you know yourself? Do you know when you are vying for attention, shading the truth, hiding the facts? Do you know when your words ring hollow, when you secretly cut corners, or when you let that illicit fantasy dance across your imagination? Do you know when you deliberately resist the Holy Spirit’s voice to get up and go pray? It has to start there, doesn’t it? Once we’re aware of our darker side, then we can ask God to cleanse us. Then we can ask him to help us acknowledge the sins that deceive us. We can stop whitewashing our pride, and we can run into the merciful arms of our Savior who loves to forgive and restore. Oh, oh, oh, thank you, Jesus, for not only forgiving us, but being our Advocate; for cheering us on with your hope and help; bless you for giving us the power to turn to you every time.
Oh, friend, isn’t it true how we love Jesus? He shines his light into our hearts filled with so many shadows. How we delight in Jesus, so patient with us and wanting everyone to come to repentance. We worship Jesus who, by his stripes, we’re healed of our worst spiritual diseases. We adore you, Jesus who gave his life so that we might walk in his paths of righteousness. So, friend, say with me, “Lord Jesus, I run to you right now, ’cause I’ve had enough of trying to hide. As best as I know how, I open my life, my thoughts, my words, my actions to your inspection. Forgive me and heal me, I pray. I need you today more than ever. In your name, Jesus, amen.”
© Joni and Friends