Rest Free in Grace

In his book, Will Daylight Come?, Richard Hoefler tells a story about a young boy who was visiting his grandparents. The boy was given a slingshot as a gift, and while he was out practicing in the woods he found he was having a terrible time hitting his target. As he came back to Grandma’s backyard, he noticed her pet duck. On an impulse, he took aim and let the rock fly. This time the rock hit right on target, and the duck fell dead. Of course, the boy panicked. He hid the dead duck in the woodpile, only to look up and see his sister Sally watching. Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.  

After lunch that day, Grandma said, “Sally, let’s wash the dishes.” But Sally said, “Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. Didn’t you, Johnny?” And she whispered to him, “Remember the duck!” So Johnny did the dishes. Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, “I’m sorry, but I need Sally to help make supper.” Sally smiled and said, “That’s all taken care of. Johnny wants to do it.” Again she whispered, “Remember the duck.” Johnny stayed while Sally went fishing.  

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally’s, finally he couldn’t stand it. He confessed to Grandma that he’d killed the duck. “I know, Johnny,” she said, giving him a hug. “I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you. I just wondered how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.”

Now Sally sounds like she belongs in the mafia! But, there’s something true about this story. Sometimes we become a slave to our past, don’t we? We allow our guilt to stay with us – even to define us.

In the first letter of John, we read, “If we say that we are without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” And then John adds this: “But if we confess our sin, God who is faithful and just will forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Let us pray: We turn over to you today our past mistakes and failures. Help us to know your forgiveness, amend our ways, and to rest free in your grace. Amen.