1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

When we moved to Franklin, TN it was a reintroduction for me to high humidity and the effect it has in combination with high heat.  I’ve lived with it for most of my life but for the previous five summers we lived in Colorado Springs where there was heat but little humidity.  In Franklin the effects of high humidity were most noted when I mowed our lawn with a push mower on hot, steamy days.  Our lawn had a slope to it so I would also get to push the mower up hill.  Needless to say, I would be drenched when done.

After my mowing adventure it was so marvelous and refreshing to step into a cool shower and experience the cleansing and refreshing it would bring.  An important part of the experience was putting on clean clothes afterward.  It would be inconceivable to put the wet mowing clothes back on – they went into the laundry.

We can all relate to the above experiences; both the effects of working in the heat and humidity, and of the cool shower and clean clothes afterward.   They present a practical
picture of sin, repentance and forgiveness.  Best of all is the absolutely unfailing promise of our Lord to always – yes always – fulfill this promise in our lives.

Being human, we sin.  The Holy Spirit convicts us.  And as a pastor friend of ours likes to say, “The Holy Spirit is not incompetent at convicting of sins.”  We confess our sins
and he forgives us.  This is where the illustration of work, heat, humidity, a shower and clean clothes come in so importantly.  (I find it so helpful to have practical, daily events remind me of His love and care for me.)  Spiritually He cleanses us from the sins like a cool shower would do for us.  There is a cleansing and refreshing that occurs.  The
repentance in our lives is discarding the ‘mowing clothes’ and putting on clean
garments.  We change our behavior.

His forgiveness never grows old.  It’s like His compassion and His faithfulness; they never fail and are new every morning because of His great love for us.  He delights in forgiving
us.  He knows these are things we will need every day of our lives.  Blessed are His sons and daughters who recognize this and pursue Him.  As Lamentations 3:25 says, “The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;”