The young couple decided to remodel their home. After securing their loan, they began to hire sub-contractors to do the work. Then they ran short of money. The young husband decided that he would put in the carpeting by himself. A look at Youtube provided him with the necessary videos to tell him how to do it. When he finished watching the tutorial videos several times and felt that he was ready, he measured and calculated, rented the necessary tools, and bought the carpet. He started early one Saturday morning by clearing out the furniture, carefully tacking down the nail strips, laying out the padding, unrolling, cutting, fitting, stretching out the carpet. Several exhausting hours later, he was finished!

Standing up to admire his work he reached into his pocket for his glasses. The pocket was empty. He thought he remembered something slipping out of his shirt pocket when he was laying the carpet. He looked around and sure enough, there near one end was a lump. “Oh, no,” he groaned. “There is no way I’m going to tear it loose and start again.” So he lifted his foot and brought it down hard, flattening it out. Then he put an end table over the spot. “No one will ever know,” he thought. Satisfied, he went into the kitchen announcing to his wife, “I’m all finished,” and then continued, “Have you seen my glasses?” She said,” sure, they are right here on the kitchen table still where you left them. And by the way, have you seen the kid’s pet gerbil?”

It seems someone always pays for the sins we hope to cover up. Lent is the time to uncover our hearts and admit our sins. Our sins are sins – harmful and destructive – nothing to boast or gloat about. So, quietly, without fanfare, we gather to confess our sins before God. We gather to hear the Word forgiveness: “You are dust and to dust you shall return. But I have covered your shame. I have hidden your sins behind My back.” Yes, thanks be to God who gives us the victory in Jesus Christ, He pays for the sins we confess and even those we try to cover up. Lent is a time to remember the cost. Lent is the time to remember when Jesus said to us: “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

God’s Richest Lenten Blessings to You!

Pastor Don Treglown