Hiding sins inside our hearts
(Reflections from the Valley of Achor: JOSHUA 7)
While I was reading the Bible, I came to the story of the Valley of Achor. It's a sad story in the Bible. The Israelites had just made it to God's promised land. They had just won a glorious victory at Jericho. They were fearless against their enemies ... until they went to battle the people of Ai. The Israelites were so confident that they were going to easily defeat Ai. They decided not to send their whole army, but only about three thousand men. But, when the Israelites reached Ai, they fled from before their enemies because God was not with them anymore.
What the Israelites didn't know was that there was sin in the camp. There was this man, Achan, of the Tribe of Judah, who had seen a beautiful garment, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold. When Israel defeated Jericho, God told the Israelites to get the gold, silver, bronze and iron to be put at the treasury of the LORD. But this man, Achan, took the items and buried them under his tent. He knew what he did wasn't right. But he still hid those beautiful items, buried it in dirt, always fearful that someone might find out.
But, because of this one man's sin, Israel fell before the people of Ai, the city that they were supposed to easily defeat. After the embarrassing defeat, Joshua and the elders fell upon their faces and sought God all day. And God said, "Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings.”
One by one, the tribes and families of Israel were brought to him. Then Achan finally confessed what he had done. Unfortunately, it was too late. By the commandment of God, Achan, his whole family and everything he owned was stoned and burned by the Israelites in the Valley of Achor. In the days of Moses and Joshua, the people were living under commandments and judgment. Today, because of our Lord JESUS, we are living under the grace of God. We don't face punishments of that sort.
Our God is still the same today as He was before. He doesn’t change. While reading the story, Daddy revealed to me how I was hiding a sin inside my heart. Yes, I have hidden it before Him even I know that He knows it because I am afraid to open it up to Him. I feel like a small child hiding a secret from her mom because of the fear of punishment. But, our God is an all knowing God. He knows everything. He knows all the secrets. And He knows all the sins that we are hiding inside our hearts.
These past days, I was asking Daddy to consume all the bad and evil things inside my heart. But I feel like nothing had change. I feel like Daddy seems so silent to me. As I read the lessons from the Valley of Achor, answers flowed out in my mind. Daddy said that I am not yet confessing the sin that I am hiding from Him. How can He clean it if I don’t want to open or confess it all to Him? He said that I burry it deep in my heart just like how Achan buried the treasures under his tent.
"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me" Psalm 66:18
I am so grateful to Daddy for this difficult time. Daddy is teaching me to fully trust Him, to fully give Him my all, to open up everything to Him. He is constantly showing me His love and faithfulness. Even sometimes I feel so unworthy of His love, He is always there watching over me, always ready to rescue me and help me when I feel like I am going to stumble and drift away. If there is one thing that I can proudly testify to the whole world, it is God’s love and His faithfulness. For His love never fails.
“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands”. - Deuteronomy 7:9
Daddy wants us to be open to Him. He wants us to confess everything to Him even the deepest secrets and sins inside our hearts. He wants us to be trustful. He wants us to leave it all to Him and let Him cleanse that part of us.
Another lesson from the story is that we will not get true victory in our life until we "take away the accursed thing from us.” Jesus said, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” (Matthew 5:29) In other words, whatever it is, we have to do whatever it takes to get rid of it. Are we going to throw away our heart if it causes us to sin? No, we just have to let the LORD our GOD clean our hearts but we must first be humble to confess all our secrets and our sins to Him.
We must remember that GOD is always there to help us in all your needs. He will help us to overcome if we will be honest with Him, and confess it and ask for His help.
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)
“Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.” Psalm 51:2-4
“Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” Psalm 51:6-7
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you” Psalm 51:10-13
“Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:12-14
“I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” Psalm 32:5
ALL GLORY AND HONOR TO MY FATHER IN HEAVEN, TO JESUS, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO REVEALS THE HIDDEN SINS INSIDE OUR HEARTS.
-Daddy’s girl
Diane Solver
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