Sin brings with it a vicious circle, because to be strong against sin we need to be self possessed and aware of our self worth. The trouble is, sin drags us down, and in our misery, we easily fall again. The answer to sin is God’s love, but, having fallen, we often stay away from Him, thinking ourselves worthless, soiled, damaged goods. That’s the very point at which we should come to Him…
Adam and Eve hid from God…
From the One who loved them.
Ashamed of their sin, they fled,
Compounding their problem.
Thinking Him like themselves:
Vengeful, ungenerous, limited,
They shunned the very medicine
They so desperately needed.
So the hellish spiral began,
And in our tumbling descent,
The gulf between us and God
Widened to a damning extent.
Unless shy conscience is stunted,
We typically feel shame, when
We fail ourselves and each other,
And that keeps us far from Him.
And so the prodigal Father waits,
Waiting for us to come to sense,
For us to surmount our pride,
And learn from sore experience.
Sometimes it’s only rock bottom,
When we hit dark desperation,
That, like the wayward son, we
Fall back on Him who is salvation.
Come to Him then, come to Him,
Confident that you find welcome:
Love, peace, joy, new beginning;
A place at table in His kingdom.
Come to Him, this very moment:
A father’s embrace awaits you.
He knows us through and through;
Don’t try to stand on false virtue.
Come to Him, in quiet surrender:
The prayer of humble abandon.
From your inner core, praise Him,
And find healing in that paean.
Come to Him, now, come to Him!
Come to Him in the midst of sin.
Graft your dead wood to the vine;
Let His life-sap come coursing in.
Come to Him then in your shame:
No pretence, no prevarication.
Come as you are, warts and all,
And… get ready for celebration!