A friend once shared a story from when his son was about four years old. The boy was constantly getting into the cookie jar despite repeated admonitions from both of his parents. Finally, they decided to put it up on top of the refrigerator where it was out of reach. They discovered their solution was less than perfect one day when my friend walked into the kitchen from the garage to see the boy standing on top of several pieces of furniture precariously stacked to form a makeshift ladder. He was just about to reach the cookie jar when he was caught. The dad said, “What were you thinking?” The four-year-old’s immediate reply was, “I was thinking I sure hope you don’t walk in here right now!”

Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:24)

There is no hiding our sins from God. He knows. Let that sink in. He knows every one of your sins of thought and word and deed. And how it must hurt Him. But He loves you anyway. So much so that He has provided a rescue plan, the way out for us. Even though we are ‘caught in the act’ and deserving of punishment, by virtue of our faith in Christ Jesus we can be certain a complete pardon. The price was already paid for our sin. Jesus did it all.

That makes me want to live a better life as a way to say “thanks” to God.