Coming Clean

Yesterday morning I woke feeling worse than I have felt in a very long time.  When I sat I felt as if I would pass out.  When I stood, it was worse.  Later I discovered our pastor was in the hospital and that the grandmother of two boys in my Sunday School class had had a heart attack.  I have full confidence in my God, that He will work all things for each of our good in these things.
Days like this make me realize just how very blessed I truly am.  What would I do without Jesus?  With Him it was easy.  I asked my husband to pray, wrote an email to family and friends asking for prayer and then called those who don't have email and/or  I don't have addresses for.  Within a couple of hours I was able to get up, get to work and go work in VBS. 
I realize that many may say this was coincidence.  Believe what you will, but if that is the case, then coincidence is my life.  I know differently.  God knows my heart desire and how much I love VBS week.  Most years during VBS I have at least a day where I feel terrible, and it is usually on the day the lesson is on Jesus' ultimate sacrifice of giving His life in our place.  Such was yesterday.  This is the most difficult message to teach and my favorite message to teach. It is difficult because it always makes me cry (literally) as I stand in awe of His mercy and grace for ME!  When I think about the fact that He suffered and died for me personally and for every other human being that ever has or will live on this earth , I grieve that I ever did anything that would make Him have to do so and marvel at the depths of His love for His creation.  It is my favorite for the very same reasons.
Each and every time God has gotten me through and allowed me to teach.  There have been times I have gone in feeling horrific, but when it came time to teach the lesson - I felt wonderful - only to go back to feeling sick afterward.  One year I was throwing up all week.  I had a bout of food poisoning I discovered later.  It was a day time VBS and each morning I would go in to church and lie down until time to teach the Bible lesson.  I would get up and, the moment I began teaching, felt strength course through my body.  I would teach the lesson, walk away with great joy and promptly feel the need to throw up again.  Coincidence?  I say, "amazing!!"
This is entitled "Coming Clean."  Why?  Because when I rose to do my Bible devotions, the title to the devotional was "Confession Brings Cleansing."  I had to laugh, because our VBS theme for the night was "Come Clean."  Both spoke of how confessing our sins, admitting our guilt and receiving God's forgiveness through the blood of Jesus brings complete cleansing for us and God remembers our sin no more.  Coincidence? 
Each days passes more swiftly than the day before.  Anyone over the age of 30 knows I speak the truth.  Time is short.  

"Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!"  Deuteronomy 30:19

Admitting we make mistakes, believing and trusting Jesus, accepting His gift of dying in our place brings life and freedom, a greater and more blessed freedom than we ever dreamed possible, because with it comes forgiveness and cleansing and God remembers those sins we confess no more!!
"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."  Hebrews 8:12.
Forgiveness and freedom - what more could we ask for?!!