Do Christians Still Sin? Is Water Still Wet?

   Heavenly Father, I’m starting this prayer with a big Hallelujah today. When we confess our sins to you, we don’t inform you of anything you don’t already know. In fact, we’re probably aware of only 3.7% percent of our actual sins. As your children, we don’t need more forgiveness than you’ve already given us in the Gospel, but we do need draw on our forgiveness—to acknowledge our need, humble ourselves, and appropriate the inexhaustible riches of your grace. Hallelujah, and thank you, because…

  I still have much in common with the impertinent younger brother you welcomed home from his hedonistic holiday and the obnoxious elder brother you constantly pursue (Luke 15). I’m the one lying at your feet others would stone and the one who with dust on my hands from the stones I easily throw at others (Jn.7:53-8:11). Like Asaph I can emote like a senseless animal before you (Ps.73:22), and like Sarah I still laugh with unbelief at your ways (Gen.18:13-14).

   I’ve been up in the tree with Zacchaeus (Lk.19:1-10) and pressed down in bitter regrets with Peter (Lk.22:62-64). I’ve been stuck in Jonah’s self-pity (Jonah 4) and racked with Jeremiah’s angry laments (Jer.11:18-20). I relate to the deceitfulness of Jacob (Gen. 25) and the doubts of Thomas (Jn.20:24-29). Timothy’s fears are my fears (2 Tim.1:7) and—I wish it wasn’t so, but I can still be consumed with self-interest like Diotrephes (3 Jn.1:9).

   And yet—gloriously yet, you respond with grace upon grace, granting me (us) repentance upon repentance, and fresh humility in the place of incomplete humility. For you have made Jesus’ righteousness ours and given our sin to Jesus. One Day we will be 100% like Christ; but until then we are 100% in Christ. HALLELUJAH! The Gospel has never been more needed and more dear to me, Abba. So Very Amen.