“And what a difference between our sin and God’s generous gift of forgiveness. For this one man, Adam, brought death to many through his sin. But this other man, Jesus Christ, brought forgiveness to many through God’s bountiful gift. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but we have the free gift of being accepted by God, even though we are guilty of many sins.” Romans 5:15-16
In my quest to conquer our yard full of leaves and reveal all the new growth and beauty of the green grass. The Lord was on a quest of His own, teaching me how special we are as His children to receive the free gift of forgiveness.
When I first started, I grabbed the rake, put my head down and went to work. I raked, raked, and raked some more, and then I bagged, bagged, and bagged some more. At one point I stopped, looked up to see how much progress I had made, and realized I had not gotten very far and had tons left to do. Every time I would bag the leaves it seemed like a ton of leaves would blow out or fall out. So I did as many big piles as I could and went and got the lawnmower. I figured it would be easier to mow over what I could not rake and bag, and surely the lawnmower would get the rest. So I went and grabbed the lawnmower and for ten minutes (not kidding) I tried to start that thing, I finally got it started and down the yard I went. As I was mowing I noticed that the lawnmower was still leaving a lot of leaves behind, of course not near as many as there were when I started, but I was just sure that thing would pick all of them up, but it didn’t. And there in that moment I heard the Lord speak.
You my child have started out just like all those piles of leaves except your leaves were sin. And just as you became aware of all that sin that needed to be cleaned up you came to me and accepted me as Your Lord and Savior. So what I did is I raked all those big piles of sin up and removed them, not by bagging them and putting them somewhere else, and not by mowing them. I came in and burned them to be nothing. I removed them so much that they don’t even exist to me today or tomorrow or ever again.
Now listen to me, you do the same thing with my word, you bury your head in it study, study, and try to bag all that you can. And notice I said all that YOU CAN! But the problem is this; just like that lawnmower did not pick up all the leaves, either can you! Only I can do that, but you have to let me, you have to let the Holy Spirit within you do its job. I gave Him to you freely to be the ruler and controller of your life. I also gave Him to you so that as you do bury your head in my word and try to bag all that you can He will make it stick. He will keep it fresh on your mind and He will convict you and discipline you when you try to leave leaves you think are okay.
So let Him do the work I sent Him to do. Kristi everyday when you lay all of your sins before me I come in and rake them up. But understand my sweet girl that these leaves they never stop falling, because you are human, but you can control the amount that do fall, by continuing to stay aware of them, by staying buried in My word, in prayer, and by laying them out before me each by name everyday! And you must! As you do I will always be there to rake them up and remove them, so that your true beauty within will show, shine and will become stronger, brighter, and will be nourished to be as beautiful as I made it to be. Walk in the confidence of who you are in Me and let the Holy Spirit do its job. There is so much beauty that lies within! So start living inside out so My name can be honored and you can be a utensil for me to use. I love you and made you for my pleasure even with leaves left behind. Be thankful you are aware of your sin because there are so many who are not, and what awaits those who live in sin and not in me is death. Jesus
Jesus thank You for such undeserved mercy and for never growing weary or turning away from me. Amen
