Every day in November, I have my students make a list of people, items, place, and events for which they are thankful. It is one of my favorite parts of this season. Today I ask my second graders to take it one step closer and tell me why they were thankful for at least two of the four items they listed. One of my girls wrote that she was thankful for her home. She then stated several reasons why her home was worthy of gratitude. It was the last one that made me chuckle and I agreed with her in full. Her last reason was simply: shower. Her home has a shower and in that shower she can get clean. I so get that need to be clean. I am one of those pretend nature people. I am all for it if there is no dirt, no bugs, no wind, and lots of shade. That list clearly leaves me without a lot of places to enjoy in nature. I don’t even enjoy the beach because I get sandy. A shower is beautiful, wonderful, and refreshing.
When I got home from work, I listen to the song, “Redeemed,” by Big Daddy Weave. Every word resonates with me, but these verses specifically made me rejoice tonight:
So I’ll shake off theses heavy chains
And wipe away every stain now I’m not who I used to be
I am redeemed
I’m redeemed
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
But when I hear You whisper, “Child lift up your head”
I remember oh God, You’re not done with me yet.”
The thought of being redeemed, of being able to wipe away every stain, is overwhelming. Listen, I’m a mess. We are all in many ways. There are parts of my life that I look back upon and shudder. When I say look back, I mean look back 30 years ago, 15 years ago, and often, 15 minutes ago. In my human understanding, I cannot explain how those events could ever be wiped away, how I could ever be free from them. What I do know is that God says it is true. He says, ” Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” Isaiah 1:18 This is the truth of what happens when accept Jesus. His death paid for all of those mean, lousy, awful things we do and now we are clean. No more dirt, no more sand, no more stench. Absolutely remarkable.
That last line gives me so much hope. Hope for me, hope for others, and hope for our world. He is not done with us yet. The story is not over. He is working in us to make us more and more like Him each day. Trust me when I say, not one of us could make ourselves perfect if we tried. Even those that look like it on the outside have issues that we just can’t see. What we cannot possibly do, He does every day through the power of His Holy Spirit. When we mess it up in big, huge, ugly ways, He still isn’t done. When others mess it up and we are caught in the web, He still isn’t done. He is making us new all.the.time. I cannot adequately express how relieved that makes me. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Tonight I am grateful that I am not the same person I used to be. I am grateful that He isn’t done with me yet. No matter what kind of day you had, what mistakes you made, or what lies ahead, remember, He is not done with you yet.
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