Hey PPN Family,

I am ashamed to admit that I did a lot of dodgy things as a young boy growing up in school. I remember asking my grandmother to do my handwriting homework for me when I was only 5-years-old, and then lying to my teacher when she asked me if it was my work. My plan unravelled very quickly when my teacher asked me to rewrite the whole alphabet on a new piece of paper. Let’s just say that my handiwork came out very different to my grandma’s beautiful cursive writing.

When I was 6, I stole my friend’s rubber eraser from his school desk because it had a bubble gum scent, and this was very rare and unique back in 1978. I kept it for less than 24 hours though, because I felt guilty when my friend started crying the next day because he had “lost” his eraser. So, I threw it on our classroom floor at recess when all of the kids had gone outside, and then pretended to find it when my friend was back in class.

Honestly, I committed a lot of “sins” as a young boy, and sadly, I still mess up today. Whenever I think of the times in the past when I had lied, or stolen something, or said something mean to someone else, it makes me feel sad. I feel a strong sense of regret because I had done something to hurt someone else.

This is the sadness and regret that Jesus refers to in Matthew 5:4 (NLT) when he says, “God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Jesus reminds us that those who mourn their sins and mistakes, will be comforted by the promise that all of our transgressions have been washed away by the precious blood of Jesus.

While Jesus was having the first communion with his disciples, He passed them the cup of wine and said, “Each of you drink from it for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many,” (Matthew 26:27-28 NLT).

When we give our hearts to Jesus, He washes away all of our sins, past, present, and future (1 John 1:7). This means that although we can still learn from our mistakes in the past, we can also replace our shame and guilt with the joy and peace that comes from knowing that we have been made perfect and holy in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

God bless,

Roland Talamaivao-Amituanai