When I was in Nazareth, one of the cool things they showed us was how they made yarn from wool. After they made the yarn, they then showed us the basket of colored yarn you see above. If you look in the middle of that basket, you will see how they colored it. To get red, they used pomegranates. To get purple, they used the creature that lived in the shell. To get brown, they used a date. They told us that once the yarn was dyed, there was no way to get it back to its original color.
When you couple that with the words of Isaiah 1:18, you can begin to see the imagery God was using. He told Israel, “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool” (NLT). The people of that time period didn’t have Clorox. They knew there was no way to return wool back to white, especially after it was stained red.
So what was God saying? He was saying that what is impossible for them, is possible for Him. He was specifically telling them (and us) that no matter how bad our sins may be or how permanent they seem, He can erase them. There is nothing you and I can do that God cannot undo. He specializes in making the impossible possible, and He used this imagery to let them and us know that.
I don’t know what you’re facing today, but whatever it is, it’s not impossible for God to fix. I don’t know what you’ve done in your life to this point, but I do know that it’s not beyond forgiveness. The blood that Jesus shed on Calvary is strong enough to wash away the guilt and shame, and can give you a fresh start. You can be cleansed just like the yarn above and be restored just like the wool above. As God started that off, you settle it with Him. You ask for His forgiveness and He brings restoration. I know this because in my life I’ve had sins as scarlet, and He made them as white as snow. He will do the same for you.
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 