Great Is Your Faithfulnessಮಾದರಿ

Faithful to Convict + Cleanse

One of my earliest childhood memories takes me back to a church pew when I was just four-years-old. I can remember the pew's cold, hard bench end as my tiny frame rested against it, straining to see the children's evangelist, Miss Ginger, from my aisle seat. I don't recall the focus of her message that day, but somehow, despite the innocence of my short life lived, I knew in my heart: "I need a Savior." There was no coercion or manipulative tactics from Miss Ginger. She simply communicated the Message of the Gospel in a way that made room for the Holy Spirit to tug on the heart of someone in need of a Savior.

When given the opportunity to step forward and acknowledge this need, I made my way down the aisle and kneeled at the altar. It's likely that I followed the prayer prompts given by Miss Ginger, but I knew when I stood up from that place of surrender, I was right with a God who created me, loved me, sent His Son to die for me, and had a plan for my life. How could I deny a God like that?

What's your salvation story? Have you ever experienced a tug like that in your heart? Perhaps you had a few more years, a few more regrets, under your belt before you heard the Good News of Jesus Christ. But the beautiful thing is that no sin is too grand, nor too small, to escape the notice of the-God-Who-sees. God is faithful to convict us of sin, and cleanse us by the precious Blood of Jesus that was shed on the Cross over 2,000 years ago.

Conviction from the Holy Spirit is truly one of the kindest, most generous attributes of God's faithfulness in His pursuit of relationship with His creation. That wrestle in your heart that warns you that you aren't where you should be, or you are doing what you shouldn't be, is God's way to reminding you: He has a better way for you to live. God's commands are not burdensome. In fact, they are the ultimate proof of His kindness as they keep us safe from our own undoing!

Consider conviction to be the faithful warning of a parent with his child. A good parent can't allow his child to run into the street, no matter how many times he's warned them to stay on the sidewalk. No! Instead the parent runs after the child and snatches them from danger, even potential death, further making the child aware:

• I see you disobeying my directives;
• I'm reminding you that you're in the wrong;
• I am redirecting you from further destruction.

Once you've recognized the conviction of the Holy Spirit as He shines His searchlight on the crevices of your soul, it is time to surrender and grant Him further permission to remove the sin that has corrupted your way. That surrender makes room for the cleansing Blood of Jesus to wash your heart, soul, body, and mind--white as snow! If you're running from the conviction of the Holy Spirit, stop running today. You will never regret His pursuit when you realize, afresh and anew, the benefits of God's faithful conviction and cleansing.

Dig a Little Deeper

Despite his chronic failures along the way, King David was known as "a man after God's own heart". Why? Because each time the conviction of God pursued David, he stopped in his tracks and turned in repentance before his God. As you read Psalm 139 today, find time to read it out loud and pray it as your own prayer before your God.