The first step to being forgiven

"Mimi you've got to talk to her about stealing!" I looked at my little five year old granddaughter with her head bent as low as her neck would allow. I took her by the hand and led her into the bedroom.

We sat on the bed together she at one end and I at the other. "Did I ever tell you about when I stole money from my father?" Her head lifted slightly and she whispered,"No".

"I was about your age when it happened. My daddy always emptied his change from his pockets to his dresser. I would sneak upstairs to his room and take a handful of change. I always left some hoping he wouldn't notice. One day as I was going down the stairs I met my father coming up. 'Sarah, what is behind your back', my father asked. 'Nothing', I said. But my father knew better he had caught me stealing and lying."

My granddaughter's head lift a little bit more. "Mimi, what did he do to you?" She fully understood my horror at being caught.

"My father, took me downstairs and then he gathered the family together and made me tell them what I had done. I didn't want anyone to know what I'd done and when everyone gathered all I did was cry. I wanted to run away but I couldn't. Finally, I whispered what I had done. My father held me and asked if I understood stealing and lying was wrong. "Yes", I said through my tears. Then he held me and told me he forgave me but that I was not to do it again.

My granddaughter moved a little closer and I put my arms around her. "Did you know that the Bible tells us that if we confess our sins God will forgive us and take away all our guilt?" "Confess means we agree with God that we have done something wrong." "Did you steal something?" Silence....

"You know I'm not a little girl anymore now I'm a grandmother but it is still hard for me tell someone I've done something wrong. I have to ask Jesus to help me but I know that admitting I did something wrong is the first step to being forgiven." " Did you steal something?"A very soft "yes" followed.

"Come with me and lets talk to your mommy." My granddaughter followed me and stood looking so small before her mother. "What do you need to tell your mommy?" Silence....Waiting....Silence...Waiting

"Mommy, I stole your jellybeans and I lied to you." Her mother bent down and wrapped her in her arms and said, "Do you know stealing and lying are wrong?""Yes, Mommy", she whispered. The next thing I knew she was wrapped in her mothers embrace."I forgive you."

"Heavenly Father, I don't know why it is so hard for me to admit when I've been wrong. To honestly confess my sin instead of hiding it and holding onto it. I think perhaps it's because part of me doesn't want to give it up. Please help me take the first step to being forgiven and admit, confess my sin."