giving no power to darkness

I had more than four decades behind me

before I came to faith, forty-three years

of directing my own story

comedy, tragedy, horror film

I laughed at the idea of sin, hell

didn't worry me, I joked

at least there I would finally be

warm

my dive into Jesus was fast

hard and deep

total submersion, much like baptism

even before I took that step 

of public declaration

acknowledgement of my filth

and forgiveness of the same

walked hand in hand

the exchange of my wretchedness

for His righteousness

a transaction solid and complete

abundant grace

that still brings me to tears

not because of who I was, or am

or will be, but only because

of Who He Is

nothing I can do to make myself better

but surrender to what He has

already done

so I need not think long about sin

I need not give too much power 

to the darkness, no

I won't deny His sacrifice

I instead choose freedom

choose light, choose life

But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. Romans 3:21-24 The Message

joining Diana who asks What’s with all this talk about 'sin?'