Forgiveness of sin

I encountered a mean, barking dog. He had the look that said, if I live long enough, sooner or later, I'm going to bite you! As is my habit, I tried to entice the dog to let me pet him, to which he of course, wanted no part, and became even more vicious. As I came close enough to see his teeth, I snatched him off his feet, and wrapped my arms completely around him, thus disabling his means of attack. As I examined him, he had this look of distress, almost desperation in his eyes, and it was then I noticed, the huge thorn he had in his front paw. I decided I must remove the thorn at once, and he decided at once I wouldn't. As the battle eventually I won, I put him down, and imagine my surprise, to find he wasn't near the snarling, mean dog I had imagined, but because of the miricle of the removal of the thorn, he now was a dancing, prancing, full of love puppy-dog, who seemingly had no care in the world. Thus is the sin in our lives. It becomes a thorn is our paws, which if allowed to, consumes our very being, and eventually, we become barking dogs. Christ says He can remove the sin, if we allow it. Many times we fight the cause, many times we fight the solution, but when it'a finally removed, how sweet it is to know His grace. (Rick Dellinger)