Easter brought us the sweetness of candy, of lilies, colored eggs, and family gatherings. Most of all it brought the knowledge that regrets for our sins have been washed away, and though we can remember them, they no longer have tags of sadness or disappointment , but they carry sign-posts of joy that Someone Else has carried them away.

King David once wrote, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.” ( Psalm 51:3,4) David’s sin broke two of the ten commandments : Do not commit adultery, and Do not kill. He had ordered the murder of Bathsheba’s husband in order to have her for himself. David understood that though we sin against each other, the truth is that all morality comes from God and so all violations are against Him.

In the late 1960’s and 70’s Frank Sinatra sang the popular song, “My Way”, which contained the words, “ Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again, too few to mention,”as if not mentioning them would somehow make them disappear. In later years Sinatra disliked singing this song, but it was one of his most popular hits.

The world would like to believe that simply by not mentioning our “regrets” we can be rid of them. We can somehow bury our sins until they are forgotten by others and even ourselves, except when we’re reminded of them unexpectedly. King David’s sin was enough to destroy a lesser man but David knew his God better than most of us know Him. David’s psalm continues: Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow. . . Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a steadfast spirit in me.

(Psalm 51:7&10)

Many people believe that there is no one but ourselves who can remove guilt from our own consciences, but David knew, even before the birth of Jesus , that there is no one but God who could actually create a clean heart in us. When Jesus gathered up the heinous sins of human beings and had them nailed through his body to the cross, Jesus, David’s descendant and God’s son, made it possible for us to enter the family of God as His own children, because He has removed our sins. It is a gift too much to comprehend, but we have spiritual pilgrims who have gone before us to put a path at our feet. The apostle John wrote, following Jesus’ resurrection, This is how we know that we live in Him, and He in us: He has given us of his Spirit. (1John4:13) His Spirit is sinless. No regrets.

Love in Him,

Prue