I Am Forgiven

   One of the great troubles with past failures is that they don't seem to know their place...which is in the past. Everyone knows what it is to struggle with past failures, those many times we fell way short of what was best. Everyone also knows what it is to have that sense that fallen angels, hell's dark emissaries, are lingering in the shadows of our memories, croaching along, ducking in and out of our conscience, watching for just the right moments to remind us of who and what we use to be; who and what we use to do. 

   While doing my devotions this morning I found myself confronted, no assaulted, with past failures. I am not talking about the past as in yesterday or last week, but five, ten and twenty years ago. It seems that demons and devils have a hell of a good record keeping system. (That's meant as a play on words, so take your hand away from covering your month, and start breathing again). 

   Clearly this was an immediate and real interruption in my devotional time, as I thought to myself, "Why is it that there is always this stark awareness of past failures but seldom a recollection of past victories? Hmmm", I thought, calling-up all my unusal, keen, well-honed, almost super-human gift of discernment, "Perhaps this is war! Perhaps it's time to grab my sword, the double-edged one, and run this time at, instead of away from the battle!" 

   This poem then, for that purpose. I am forgiven, and so are you, provided you've followed the Biblical prescription for God's forgiveness. 

Forgiven!

Get behind me, in Jesus’ Name.
I am forgiven! I am forgiven!
His cross, his blood, his death, my claim.
I am forgiven! I am forgiven!

Though hell assaults God’s truth with lies,
And tries to cloud the sapphire skies,
Like Christ, God’s Word can not but rise,
I am forgiven! I am forgiven!

So clad in armor God supplied,
To those forgiven, those forgiven,
I kneel before my King who died,
As one forgiven, one forgiven.

Then with the Word, that two-edged sword,
I rise to face the demon horde,
And in the name of Christ the Lord,
Proclaim, the truth,
I am forgiven!

Gary Little
January 6, 2012