The background photo for today is the view out my kitchen window as I stand at the kitchen sink and wash dishes.
When you first looked at the picture, did you notice that the entire left-half of the tree is missing? Probably not.
When hubby and I first moved to the forest I never would have noticed something like that either. But after living in the forest, you learn about trees. Just by looking at the trees, you can tell what has happened to them in the past. You can see, very distinctly, where huge sections of the tree are gone: “collateral damage” as a result of giant neighboring trees being felled.
Last week I was standing at the kitchen sink, doing the dishes while listening to the Daily Audio Bible. Currently the reading has been in the book of Joshua, about the people of Israel crossing the Jordan River and taking possession of the Promised Land.
I was absentmindedly gazing out the window at the Big Leaf Maple, while washing dishes, as the passage was being read about Achan’s secret hidden sin.
It suddenly struck me that hidden sin is a lot like that Big Leaf Maple just outside my kitchen window.
Achan thought his secret hidden sin was totally secret … and hidden. No one knew … so it really didn’t matter. It wasn’t that big of a deal.
But in reality … secret hidden sin is just like that Big Leaf Maple. It is clearly obvious that the entire left-half side of the tree is missing! Totally obvious! The tree is enormous … and the entire missing-left-side is absolutely obvious!
That is what our hidden sin is like.
We might think our hidden sin is not that big of a deal. It’s just something tiny.
But … just like that Big Leaf Maple tree is enormous … so also our secret hidden sin is likewise enormous!
We might justify our secret hidden sin. We might squash our conscience and convince ourselves that there’s nothing at all wrong. Just because our conscience is convicting us that doesn’t mean anything at all. Nobody knows. Our conscience doesn’t really matter.
But even though we might squash our conscience … our sin is still on full display … just like the Big Leaf Maple outside my kitchen window.
But nobody else knows.
God knows!
And to be honest, just like those who have learned to “read” trees can obviously tell in just a single glance what happened … so also when it comes to secret hidden sins, others who are observant can totally tell what is going on. Even if we think we are putting on a good show and “hiding.”
Secret hidden sin is not secret. Even though we attempt to hide it … it is not hidden. It’s on full display! Just like the half-missing Big Leaf Maple tree outside my kitchen window!
“You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence.” – Psalm 90:8
“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” – Hebrews 4:12-13
