Day 13 - Wearing Our Transgressions

My words are failing me to do this picture justice.  Beth Moore did an excellent job.  I do look at that symbolism of Jesus coming to be baptized after all the others had confessed their sins first and then were baptized. 

I guess I am picturing bathing my kids after a fun warm day of playing outside.  As the mom of little boys, I know that it is important that if I want them clean enough, they have to be bathed separately with fresh water.  Regardless of which one is first, the tub usually needs a good rinsing to get the dirt residue totally out of the tub.  If I don't run fresh water in a clean tub then the dirt lingers for the next in line.  Then they would be yelling, "Someone has poisoned the waterhole!" 

Think about the "poison" that Jesus encountered when he was baptized after all those people, the poison of their sins.  

I remember when I was saved, when I confessed my sin to Jesus.  When I laid these sins at the cross, I they were so heavy, so many, so dirty.  But HE took them with love.  He chose to wear my transgressions.  He will wear yours too if you let him.

Sometimes we knowingly and willingly walk in to sin, and other times we are there before we even know it.  Regardless, the guilt is the same.  We are ashamed of what we have done and fear that others will find out.  So we hide.  Oh, the burden.  Jesus takes that burden away when we humble ourselves and confess that sin to him.  What a joy that is!  Humbling ourselves and admitting our shortcomings is so hard, but so worth it.

My prayer for today is that we would lay our shame at the foot of the cross, that we can name the sin and ask for guidance to walk a straighter path.  In that same manner, may we sincerely, and truly desire that walk.  Coming to the alter is not for show.  God knows our hearts and if we are not sincere, we are only fooling ourselves.