Irreparable

By Paula Williamson, guest writer

Have you ever done something you thought was irreparable? I have, more often than I care to admit. One such time came after my son started kindergarten and I went back to work. It was Christmas, and I picked him up from the babysitter. He walked into the house and burst into tears. He was the only child in his class who did not bring or receive a Christmas gift. Notes had gone home, and I suppose his was left at the babysitter’s by mistake. I never knew. My heart and his were broken, irreparably. What was done was done; there was no changing that. He was more forgiving of me than I was of myself. The image of him sitting there, the only one without a gift at five years old, holding back his tears until he was home, haunted me for a long time.

It Is Written

PSALM 51:1-2 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

God Repairs and Restores

There are consequences for all our actions; sometimes they fall on us, and sometimes on those we love. It’s never too late to apologize and seek forgiveness from them and from God. We can be sure He wipes our slate clean and hides our faults and failures

behind the righteousness of Jesus, who bore all our shame. Sometimes the harder task is to forgive ourselves.

Prayer

Lord, thank You that when we fail, we have a safe place to turn. You are that place of unconditional love and acceptance. We can be harsh and unforgiving with ourselves. Pour Your love into those places and forgive our failures. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for the sacrifice You made for us, bearing our sin and shame and clothing us in Your righteousness before God, our Father. Restore and heal those whose hearts we have harmed. Show us the right way to respond to our failures.

Takeaway

Nothing is impossible for God.