This week, being the klutz that I am, I managed to dislocate my hip. Fortunately, I’m on good terms with my chiropractor and he saw me right away.
Recovery, though, would take time.
Standing often proved too painful, so I borrowed my wheeled office chair to give me mobility around the house. While I meandered through my kitchen and down the hall I gained a new perspective on the condition of my cupboards and walls. Cabinets that appeared clean from a standing position revealed missed spots and stains while I viewed them from my chair. I grabbed the wall cleaner and rolled myself down the hall, scrubbing as I went. When I finished, I basked in the satisfaction that comes from completing a necessary task well.
The lemon scent added to my pleasure.
Perspective can also change when we hold our lives up to biblical truth. Scripture has a way of exposing those things we’ve kept hidden, eliciting a humbled response if our hearts are open. Like the shock of seeing a dirty wall from my seated position, my life often reflects a less than perfect image. Reading the Bible is like my wheeled chair—it gets me in a position to see the flaws I’d missed or ignored before. Prayer takes me to the throne of grace where God can forgive my sins and cleanse me from my folly.
One of my favorite verses keeps me coming back to the altar of God. I John 1:9 (KJV) says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
What a wonderful promise knowing I can clean up my messes over and over again. All I have to do is bow before the Creator of the universe and let him wash away my trespasses.
It is a free gift.