I spent some time with the grandkids today and as I was walking home I noticed some of their pictures on the driveway drawn with sidewalk chalk.  I guess that makes it driveway chalk.  Anyway, I love seeing those drawings that they make.  I love the temporary masterpieces they have crafted recently of homes, flowers, and butterflies.  I haven’t had many opportunities to see these great works of art lately because they have been washed away so quickly by all the rain we have been having this spring.  Every time I consider how quickly these pictures are washed away by the rain, I am reminded of how God can so easily wash away our sins when we turn to Him in submission and repentance.  The Bible says in Titus chapter 3

Titus 3:5 He (God) saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

My salvation does not rest on my work or any good deed that I may try to offer unto God.  I have been rescued by the love and mercy of God.  God demonstrated His love for me in that while I was still a sinner, Christ died for me.  If my salvation depended on my righteousness, then my unrighteous deeds could never and would never be erased.  Even if someone would view my bad deeds as relatively harmless, any deed outside of God’s will is sinful and any such deed causes a break in my fellowship with Him.  I cannot erase those unrighteous deeds no matter how small they may seem to you or me; and I cannot restore my fellowship with God.  I cannot do it…but Christ can!

Christ who gave His life for us can forgive us of our sins if we turn from our sins and turn to Him and ask Him to be our Savior.  We can be justified by His grace.  It can be “just as if” we never sinned.  The unrighteous deeds in our lives can be washed away like chalk drawings on a sidewalk in a summer rain.  God will pour out His mercy and His power into our life through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit through His Son Jesus Christ!  We not only have our sins washed away but we have our fellowship with God the Father restored and we receive eternal life!  And God equips us and empowers us to begin to live according to His will rather than ours.  Will we have trials?  Yes.  Will we have temptations?  Yes.  But we also have the Lord walking beside us, helping us to overcome those trials and temptations.  The Lord is with us!  Let me tell you, He will work in you and through you and together you will paint a picture that will last for eternity.  It will be a picture of victory, of perseverance and living by faith!  It will be one that will withstand the winds, the rains and the storms of this life.  It will be beautiful to behold!  I hope that you have a wonderful week.  Until next time, stay strong in the faith.