In the quiet suburb of Maplewood, New Jersey, there lived a young girl named Emily. Emily was always getting into trouble, whether it was sneaking cookies from the kitchen or playing with her toys instead of doing her homework.
One day, Emily’s parents had to run errands, so they left her at home with her older sister. As soon as they left, Emily began to misbehave. She jumped on the couch, climbed on the kitchen counter and made a mess with her toys.
But then, Emily had an idea. She wanted to try something she had never done before – climb up into the attic. She had heard her parents talking about it, but they always kept the door locked. Emily found the key and opened the door, amazed by what she saw. There were old books, clothes and toys everywhere.
As she sifted through the newly discovered treasures, she accidentally knocked over a vase causing it to shatter on the floor. Emily panicked. She knew she would be in serious trouble if her parents found out, so she hid in the attic, afraid to admit what she had done.
Hours went by, and Emily’s parents came home and began calling out for her. But there was no answer. They searched the house but couldn’t find her anywhere. They notified the police, who came to the house to interview them. As they frantically discussed where she may have gone, they heard a faint noise coming from the attic. To their great joy and relief, it was Emily confessing what had happened and begging for their forgiveness.
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:16
SPIRITUAL THOUGHT
Adam and Eve had an experience in the Garden of Eden that was similar to Emily’s. When they disobeyed God, they felt ashamed and tried to hide from Him (Genesis 3:8). This highlights a common theme we see throughout the Bible – guilt causes us to distance ourselves from God right when we need Him the most. We can never guilt ourselves or others into a trusting relationship with our Creator. Instead, we must focus on God’s love and grace, which is freely offered to all who turn to Him in faith. Only then can we experience the true peace and joy that comes from a close relationship with our Heavenly Father.
MY PRAYER
Lord, thank You for the gift of forgiveness. Help us to remember that we can always come to You with our mistakes and shortcomings and that You are ready to extend Your mercy and grace to us. Help us to be honest and courageous in owning up to our mistakes, and give us the wisdom and strength to forgive others as You have forgiven us. Amen.
