Looking for a Clean Slate? by Theresa Zuber

(I'm excited to report that a version of this article will appear in the Nov/Dec issue of "Devozine" a devotional magazine for teens published by Upper Room Ministries.)

Do you remember when you were a child and played with an Etch n Sketch? Mine was red and had a little screen and there were two dials. One dial made the line go up and down and the other, side to side. If you turned them both at the same time you could make diagonal lines – well sort of. If you were really good you could write your name or draw a decent picture. But the nice thing about this toy was that if you made a mistake, it was no big deal. All you had to do was turn it upside-down and shake. When you turned it back over you had a clean slate.

Isn’t it funny how God can do the same thing with our lives? Sometimes we are plugging along pretty well but something trips us up and we sin. Some sins, or mistakes stand out in our lives like a sore thumb. It could be BIG or it could be little, but – all the same – we've goofed up.

PS 32:5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"-- and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

PS 103:12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

God wants us to repent, to turn from our sins--our mistakes. He wants us to go a different direction.God has a big heart. He’s ready to wipe the slate clean. All we must do is ask for forgiveness.And then – back to the drawing board. We’re ready to start over. God’s given us a clean slate. What we do with it is in our hands.

Dear God, I don't understand how you can forgive and forget so completely, but I trust that you do! I praise you and thank you for giving me aclean slate, a fresh start, another chance. You are the creator. Guide me. There is no one better to steady me as I begin again.