What is something that you have tried to do, but you had trouble doing it correctly the first time, or even several times?
Maybe you have tried to make something in the oven, but it didn’t turn out the way it should have. Maybe you had the oven on too hot and burned it, or maybe you forgot to put in a certain ingredient. You tried to do it correctly, but you failed.
As a child, it took me many, many times to learn how to tie my shoes. Time after time I failed, messing up which loop I needed to grab and how to properly tie it into a bow. What if someone had told me, “Well, you failed,” and took my shoes away? How would I learn, and become better? It took me several times, but I eventually got it.
Just the same, how could someone learn to overcome a problem or sin in their life if they aren’t given another chance?
Not everyone learns at the same pace, and not everyone is as good at certain things as others. Some people might make more mistakes, and some might make less. But the truth is that we all make mistakes and we need another chance to try to do them correctly. We need God’s mercy and grace.
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
The first sin in the Garden of Eden is often named “the fall of man” or simply “the fall.” Imagine a toddler who is just starting to learn to take their first steps. Eventually they will trip and fall down. They just haven’t fully perfected their walk yet. What if when they fell down, someone sat on top of them, and refused to let them back up? What if someone was in a car accident, and a part of their recovery was learning how to walk correctly again, but time after time their knees buckled and they crumpled to the ground? Should that person just give up, or should they get back up, and try again?
Humans are sinful creatures. Despite our best efforts, we all will eventually make a mistake at some point in our life. One sin, that’s all it takes to make us sinners. One screw up, one ill considered action. Just one sin could keep you out of Heaven.
Thankfully, we have access to an incredible gift that can wash those sins away, the gift of God’s mercy.
God doesn’t close off that well of grace when people come to Him asking for it. Jesus didn’t condemn the sinners He met everyday to death, just because they fell short of perfection. Instead, He showed us His love, and extended us MERCY.
We are not perfect, this should be obvious to anyone who is a Christian. We should strive for perfection, and try to be the absolute best that we can be, but if we do fail we need to come to God in our time of need, seeking His mercy.
God has given us access to forgiveness. Just remember that if you should fall, get back up, and try again.
In Christ,
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 