I think it was Mike Warnke who said it: “Do you have to get cleaned up to take a bath?”
I’ve known her for perhaps my entire ministry. I’ve seen her rise and fall so many times; into drugs, into alcohol, into all manner of sin and losing control of herself. And I have always held my hands out to her.
And now she’s asked me to come to her house. With tears in her eyes, she tells me, “I’m ready to start over. I just… I just needed to get some things under control.”
Oh, my shattered sister… oh, my broken daughter… don’t you know? You will never, ever get anything under control. Not really. You can fake it, but you will never, ever get yourself put together. Not enough. If you wait until you are better, you will never, ever come. You will never clean yourself up enough for God.
She tells me, “I just feel such guilt… but I’m doing better now, you know? Why can’t I get rid of my guilt?”
Oh, my filthy loved one… oh, my stained heart… don’t you know? You can’t wash those stains away. You will never, ever be good enough to whitewash what you have been, what you have done. You will never clean yourself up enough for God.
She thinks she’s doing better, but there’s still this haunting specter. She can’t place it.
I can. (more…)
Ordained for Growth 