Before computers, when everything was written with a typewriter and forms were completed by hand, “Wite-Out” or a similar product, was at every desk. Because I spell so poorly, I always bought mine in the handy 6-pack. Wite-Out is a thin paint substance that is used to cover over mistakes.

Wite-Out became more necessary when I was in a hurry. Being rushed created an opportunity for more mistakes with more frustrations and doing stupid things. This resulted in more mistakes with several coats of cover up and me blowing on the painted area. When I didn’t wait long enough for the cover up to fully dry, typing over or writing over the area would cause a breakthrough creating an even bigger mess. Also, I had to be careful that small, dried pieces were not on the application brush as this would also create a mess on the document. There was no hiding the fact, a mistake had been made. The Wite-Out only covered over the actual mistake.

People…all people make mistakes. And like most of us we try to “cover over” our mistakes by blaming, denying, or ignoring the wrong. I have found myself using my own Wite-Out by doing good deeds as if one or two good deeds will offset or remove one wrong. This is simply painting over our offense to God. The offense is still there. Sin is personal to God. He knows what is under our cover up. We learn from Psalm 44:21 “since he knows the secrets of the heart” that God desires a personal relationship with Him. “So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” Romans 5:11

How do we get a “wonderful new relationship with God”? Peter tells us in Acts 3:19 “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Note, our sins are “wiped out” not covered over. Only Jesus has the power to remove our sins. We can remove our sins.

David is a great example of how God reveals His incredible character. David tried to ignore, then cover up his sin of adultery with Bathsheba by having her husband sent to the front line of battle where he was killed. But Almighty, Creator God sent his messenger Nathan to confront King David. “Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the Word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’” 2 Samuel 12:7-10 God knew.

In verse 13, “Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” In Psalm 51 David writes his prayer to God, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.” I encourage you to read Psalm 51. Repentance is the key first step to being in a right relationship with God. When we repent and turn to Him, we learn from Isaiah 43:25, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” Only He can set us free from our sins.

Are you ready to be set free from your past? Only Jesus can transform our miserable past to a victorious future. “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” James 4:8