The greatest devastation from Hurricane Helene in our area of the country was the storm surge. With several feet of water in their homes many lost years of valuable belongings and precious memories. Vehicles were flooded, businesses were closed, and families were displaced. I watched as the floodwaters rose around my house and witnessed several items stored under my lanai just drift away. The flood waters rose and carried away many valuable possessions. The saltwater flooding from Hurricane Helene was a thief. It invaded our homes, took what it wanted, and carried it away.
Sin is like a floodwater thief. Sometimes it rises like a flood and overflows our lives. When we allow it to continue, we find that it brings great destruction. It corrodes our character and pollutes our spirit. When we give in to temptation and sin against the Lord, we experience many consequences. When David committed adultery with Bathsheba he lost many things. The sweet singer of Israel lost his joy. Not only did his sin steal his joy, it also stole his peace of mind. He lost his testimony and caused the enemies of the Lord to scoff at God. His once vital and close relationship with the Lord just drifted away. During the period of time that he tried to hide his sinful actions his songs of praise and loving walk with the Lord dried up. But Psalm 51 and Psalm 32 describe David’s prayer of repentance after the floodwaters of sin overflowed his life. His prayer of repentance tells us: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice” (Psalm 51:7-8). His joy was restored and his walk with the Lord resumed.
None of us are immune from a storm surge of sin. Like David we can give in to temptation. We must be on our guard against our enemy, fill our sandbags, and resist him steadfast in the faith (1 Pet. 5:8). Let’s not stand and watch as the flood of sin steals away our precious relationship with our Lord.
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