Try the Spiritual Etch-A-Sketch

Written By

Dr. James Spinnati

           How many times do you suppose you have said or heard it said, “If only I had it to do over again…”? Hindsight is always 20/20. We learn some things by experience that often we could not see before. That would be good except for one thing – in most areas of life we can’t back up and do it over again. The old saying, “You only go around once,” seems to apply in a lot of cases. Do you remember the Etch-A-Sketch? The Etch-A-Sketch was a little red and gray drawing board full of granulated particles. It was not equip with digital readouts and it didn’t beep or flash. In fact, it didn’t even take batteries. Instead you twisted two knobs on the bottom of the screen to draw a picture. If you messed up all you had to do was shake the thing a couple of times and you got a clean screen – a chance to start all over. Wouldn’t it be nice if some parts of life were like that Etch-A-Sketch? I know some who would like to do that to their maxed out credit card account? Just pick up the card, shake it a couple of times, and the bill is paid off. I know. It doesn’t work that way, but, neither does the rest of your life.

           There is good news though, with God it is possible to start all over. We are all on this pilgrimage called “life.” During the time we live here on earth we are determining where we will spend eternity. Somehow, though, all of us seem to mess up and get ourselves into deep trouble with God. We need a chance to start all over. We need a Jubilee, like the Israelites had. The Old Testament Jubilee began with the blowing of the ram’s horn on the ancient Day of Atonement. It signaled the release of all debt and the freeing of slaves. Wouldn’t it be great if we could do the same thing? Well today we have something greater. We can be set free spiritually. We have the blood of Jesus Christ which can free us from sin. Don’t you think it is time to start your day off right? How can you do that? How about obeying Christ? I want to assure you, there is nothing like freedom.