Friday was one of my favorite days in grade school. Usually, around 3 o’clock our teacher would announce who had eraser duty. Oh, what a privilege to be picked. A classmate & I would take the box of erasers outside to bang the erasers on the screen device removing the chalk from the erasers. I liked it because I could talk without getting in trouble and let’s face it, I was ready to do anything but study. If we timed it right, we would finish just before the bell rang at the end of the day.

It was important to start each Monday with enough clean erasers for the week. An eraser full of chalk just makes everything on the board fuzzy and hard to read. You know, that’s what sin does to our heart. Sin makes it hard for us to hear and know our Heavenly Father. Just living results in sin. We look upon people and situations to compare, judge, covet, gossip, throw in some desire, add anger along with being too busy to serve Him…BAM, we need to erase the mess in our life every day.

Jesus told us in Matthew 5:21-22 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”

Then in…

verse 27,  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Then in…

Verse 44, “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.”

And then Jesus told us…

In Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” This covers everyone.

But if you are not convinced let’s read Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But it gets worse. Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death” Are you convinced we are a dirty mess?

God knew this was going to happen. This is why He gave us Jesus. Then when we read the rest of verse 23, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We can have confidence He desires to clean up our messy life.

But you don’t have to go outside to beat on a device to get clean. You can have Him clean your heart right where you are, right now. And get this, He already knows what you did. He’s waiting for you.

“But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7

Stop what you are doing… listen. Did you hear…“Behold, I (Jesus) stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20