Patiently Cleaning

One good thing that this quarantine is doing is making us aware of the things that we have not been cleaning for the past months (or even years!).  One of those things I noticed were our window screens.  So I took one down, and brought it to our backyard where we have a hose to wash out the dirt accumulated in the screen.  But our water pressure was so low that the water coming out of the hose was not as strong as I wanted it to be.  And even if I was using the "old style", pressing the finger at the end of the hose to try and make it spray, it wasn't working.  It was washing away the dirt, but not as fast as I wanted it to be.  So I started grumbling and complaining about the water pressure and how long it was taking to clean the window screen.  It was taking so long!

Then, for some reason, I had a thought - "be patient.  Imagine how long it is taking the Lord to wash you of the sins that you are still struggling with".  Whoa!  It blew my mind.  I don't know if that was the Holy Spirit, or just me, but it hit me like lightning!  That is true...I have been a believer for so long, and up to now the Lord is still cleansing me of sins that just keep coming back!  It's taking so long.
And so I smiled, humbled, and just went on patiently washing off the dirt in the screen, imagining how patient and how gracious my God has been.

Psalms 136:1-26  Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.  (2)  Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever.  (3)  Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.  (4)  to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.  (5)  who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever.  (6)  who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever.  (7)  who made the great lights-- His love endures forever.  (8)  the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever.  (9)  the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever.  (10)  to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt His love endures forever.  (11)  and brought Israel out from among them His love endures forever.  (12)  with a mighty hand and outstretched arm; His love endures forever.  (13)  to him who divided the Red Sea asunder His love endures forever.  (14)  and brought Israel through the midst of it, His love endures forever.  (15)  but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea; His love endures forever.  (16)  to him who led his people through the desert, His love endures forever.  (17)  who struck down great kings, His love endures forever.  (18)  and killed mighty kings-- His love endures forever.  (19)  Sihon king of the Amorites His love endures forever.  (20)  and Og king of Bashan-- His love endures forever.  (21)  and gave their land as an inheritance, His love endures forever.  (22)  an inheritance to his servant Israel; His love endures forever.  (23)  to the One who remembered us in our low estate His love endures forever.  (24)  and freed us from our enemies, His love endures forever.  (25)  and who gives food to every creature. His love endures forever.  (26)  Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.

Every time I come upon this psalm in my prayer time, it always strikes me - all 26 verses, in all the

times the Lord worked in Israel's history - it was His love enduring forever. I would always wonder - why did the author have to write "His love endures forever" after each account of God's working in their lives?  I guess it was his way of showing how the Love of God was enduring.  God just kept loving them again and again, despite all their sin and imperfection, His love endured.

It's interesting how the word "endure" is defined  - "suffer (something painful or difficult) patiently". Or "remain in existence; last"
Isn't it hard to endure someone who hurts us or sins against us, and we have to forgive them again and again?  We suffer patiently while living or relating with them.
But this psalm is talking about the love of our God enduring with us.  I would like to think it's the second definition that applies with Him - "remain in existence; last".

How thankful should we be that God's love endures?
How difficult do you think it is to forgive sin?  Especially for a holy God!

And yet His love for us endures, remains in existence, lasts forever.  But how can God's love endure the sin we commit again and again, and how can He forgive again and again?  Through Jesus Christ.  The suffering, and the death, of Christ was payment for our sin. When we put our faith in Christ it has justified us, brought us near to Him, being payment for our sins.  And this is what covers us in the eyes of God everyday.  Because we have put our faith in Christ as our Savior, His atoning sacrifice covers us.  And every time we still commit sin, Christ's death is the only reason why He can forgive us, and restore us.  This is why His love endures forever.

This is not condoning sin, or giving us a reason to keep sinning.  In fact, realizing what Christ has done to justify us and to cover us, should make us get rid of the sin that so easily affects us.  But every time our flesh overcomes us, and we sin, the only reason God's love endures is because of what Christ has done for us. This is why His love can remain, last, forever!

1 John 1:7-9  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.  (8)  If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  (9)  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 2:1-2  My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  (2)  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Thank God for that!  Amen?

Imagine how long has our God been forgiving us?  The only time that forgiveness will end is when we are in eternity with Him, when there will be no more sin!

But as long as we are still here, His love remains in existence, it lasts forever, because of the grace that is found in what Christ has done for us.

His love endures, because our faith in Christ's sacrifice has brought us near to Him, has reconciled us.

His love endures because even if we do sin, Christ's sacrifice covers us, and our Heavenly Father forgives us because of that.

And so, again, as I kept patiently washing our window screen, I smiled, imagining how loving and patient my God is for me.  It made my day.  Thankful for the grace I have in Christ, and the enduring love of God because of Him.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.  His love endures forever.