Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Psalm 32:1
Have you seen the headlines lately: Cities Scramble as Harsh Winter Produces Bumper Crop of Potholes; Pothole Work Tripled from Last Year; City Wages War on Potholes; County Crews on Pothole Patrol. Pot holes, potholes, potholes, it seems everyone is worried about potholes.
What is a pothole? According to Webster’s dictionary definition number one a pothole is a deep hole; pit. Definition two says a hole formed in pavement, as by excessive use or by extremes of weather. After the brutal winter that much of America has experienced many cities, towns and county crews are indeed waging war on this pesky problem. What was once a smooth road may resemble a mine field after winter weather, salt and heavy traffic. Hitting a pothole can be anything from a little jolt to major bump that causes an unexpected interruption to a morning commute. Potholes can be destructive, costly, dangerous and downright annoying. Potholes damage streets, throw off alignments , cause tires to pop, rims to bend, and at times even injure drivers. It’s good to know that all those crews will be out on patrol this spring working to help alleviate the pothole problem.
There is another hole doing damage across America and around the world. It is the hole found in a human heart. As Plumb says in her hit song: There’s a God-shaped hole in all of us and the restless soul is searching. . . These God-shaped holes are not always visible. A person’s life may look stable on the outside while it is in fact resting on a fragile foundation just waiting to crumble away. Some people ignore the heart hole or skirt around it as they go on with life. Some people spend time trying to fill the emptiness with “things” in an attempt to patch or hide the damage. Only when one digs down to the root of the problem and lays a strong foundation can one really solve the problem of this void.
We live in a wonderful, amazing and beautiful world yet this same world is full of sadness, sorrow and sin. Sin causes problems in our world. It not only causes problems for the one sinning but often it causes problems for those in the path of the sinner. People like to speak of God as a loving God. They like to dwell on his patience and forgiveness. Yes, we do have a loving God who is patient and forgiving but He is also a just God. Denying the presence of sin weakens the foundation of our spiritual life. To prevent lasting damage one must confess their faults to God and determine to start anew. God promised he will forgive your guilt. He will help you build a strong foundation but you have to take the first step. Psalm 32:5 says: Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin. After true repentance God covers our sin, offers forgiveness and begins the repairs. Are you in a deep hole; a pit? God wants to lift you out. He wants to cover your sin for you but first you must turn to him.
Dear God, we know that we all make mistakes and each one of us is vulnerable to various sins. We thank you that you loved us enough to cover our sins through the blood of Jesus. We ask you to help unbelievers turn to you and begin to build a foundation on your word. We pray that your children who have called upon your name will be brave enough to confess the sins that sneak in and seek to erode their foundation. We thank you that no hole is too deep for you to fill. We praise you for the truth that you are here to offer complete forgiveness to all who seek it.
Devotional and Photo by Marge McCoy
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