January 7- Heaven’s F-Bomb

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9 (NIV)

Young folks have a whole different language. Today, they refer to it as the “F-bomb.”  The granddaddy (or grandmother) of all bad words according to Ralphie in “The Christmas Story,” but it’s not worth repeating.  I hate to even give it press time good or bad (so patronize me if you are offended) but you will get the point. 

In the Leonardo DiCaprio’s new movie, “The Wolf of Wall Street,” statisticians have calculated the A-Lister uses the word 506 times in 3 hours of screen time.  That’s “five hundred and six times.” If there was an “exponential R-rating,” this would qualify. Granddaddy indeed.   Being the math addict that I am, I did my own figuring.  In a movie that is 180 minutes long, that words averages out to 2.81 times per minute.  Why anyone would pay $11 or $2 for someone to fill their mind with that kind of nuclear proliferation, I will never know.  Maybe mental “A-Bomb” would be more like it. But they will...and many will walk out praising it.  I cringe with that word when I occasionally frequent a gym or overhear conversations as it comes flying out like IHop’s breakfast special.  Might as well call the “Trash company” and have the back up a load onto your front lawn.  It would be less damaging to us. 

However, there is another F-Bomb that is used 121 times in scripture.  While it doesn’t reach the 506 count of the movie, its power is nuclear in scope. David experienced in when he fell with Bathsheba (Psalm 51:10).  Jesus gave it when He was being tortured on the cross (Luke 23:34).  And John expresses it in one of his later works when he writes, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).  It’s the word “Forgiveness.” From what I hear, there are many low depths that the “Wall Street” movie reaches, but none so low that Christ can’t redeem anyone willing to come to the cross and ask for it.  He’ll change wolves, snakes, and even wandering lambs.  You might say, His F-bomb is greater than the world’s any day of the week. After all, “Salvation is ‘Rated-R” as in righteousness, redemption, and restoration.” Now that’s something I want to pour into my head.

Terry Risser

Question:

1)   What is an area of your life you have found complete forgiveness?

2)   What can you confess today that Christ wants to cleanse?

Copyright 2014- Terry Risser