THE WATERFALL

Down in the gorge of mist and cold

pours out a gushing, strong and bold,

that makes the hemlocks surge up tall—

the power of the waterfall.

The water dances as it sings

and off the trees, its echo rings

to fill the woodland concert hall—

the music of the waterfall.

The flow that washes like a sea

removes the mud and creek debris

and smoothes the jagged, rocky wall—

the cleansing of the waterfall.

The Lord of Heaven gives the might

with mercies pouring day and night

to send my wrongs cascading all—

the beauty of God’s waterfall.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

THE WATERFALL

The good amount of snow we had this past winter is melting, and the waterfall is ripping, here in Veery Glade. The male chickadee is singing his two-note courting song and we've seen red-winged blackbirds and robins. Spring has sprung!

Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

John 5:14

Sin no more. Jesus had healed a sick man beside the pool of Bethesda, the site where an angel went into the pool at a certain season and troubled the water to heal the first person who entered. This sick man couldn't get to the pool in time. But Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath, healed him. Then later, Jesus told the man to sin no more.

When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?  She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

John 8:10-11

Sin no more. The Pharisees had brought a woman caught in adultery before Jesus, who was teaching in the temple. They wanted to have her stoned to death, as the law required. Jesus had knelt down, wrote on the ground, and then stood and said that anyone without sin could cast the first stone. Being convicted by their own consciences, one by one, the accusers left.

"Go, and sin no more."

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Proverbs 28:13

Forsaketh sin. What does this mean? It means to leave it! Renounce wayward ways that will not bring prosperity (including eternally). Abandon the vice that prevents God's abundant mercy. Give the sin up, which is already known. There is a command bird dog owners use when training. When the dog that is trekking beside its master stops and sniffs something the trainer doesn't want the dog to stop and sniff at, he snaps, "Leave it!" and the dog obeys.

God knows what's best for us. His commands are best for our good. Jesus told the sick man to sin no more lest a worse thing would happen to him. Jesus knew the woman's adultery wasn't the first time. He was telling her to quit committing adultery. Stop and repent. Change. Transform your mind. Then, mercy flows, like the flow from the cascading waterfall near Veery Glade.

And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God.

Hebrews 10:11-12

The above verse is talking about Jesus. Oh, what tremendous joy to have the criminal slate of the sin condition wiped clean! Oh, what love and compassion that our Savior, Jesus Christ, God's only Son, left His crown and glory in Heaven, became one of us, and paid our sin debt with His innocent, eternal, payment resources!

He's the only one who could have done it!

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Hebrews 8:12

Satisfied, God will choose to remember the sin of the believer no more.

For the wages of sin is death;

but the gift of God is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:23

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

Pray for peace in our world, particularly between Russia and Ukraine, and for persecuted Christians, even those affected by those who were murdered. Pray for wisdom and the safety of our president and his team. Pray for the needs of family members and friends, remembering to lift up gratitude for answered prayer. And, if you're struggling beside the waterfall, pray for help to repent.