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By Brandon Baggett
Imagine yourself on the beach, and it’s the perfect day to enjoy the beauty of the coast. 

As you exit your car, gather up your gear and walk onto the beach, you begin searching for the perfect place to set up for the day. 

As you look to your left and then to your right, you see people, umbrellas, tents, chairs and beach towels as far as the eye can see. Tourists from all over have converged on this strip of land to enjoy a day of soaking up the sun and swimming in the ocean. The beautiful sand of the shore is now littered with footprints, remnants of collapsed sandcastles, and abandoned lines drawn by fingers and little plastic toy shovels. All of this commotion, activity and play has made a mess of the beautiful beach. 

But guess what happens the next day? Just beyond the shore, an endless march of waves comes rolling in. As the waves crash onto the shore, they gently wash away the day, leaving behind a clean slate of sand to enjoy all over again. 

I can’t help but see God’s forgiveness in the ocean. Much like the disturbed sand along the seashore, we are all pretty good at making a mess of our lives with bad decisions, sins, and shortcomings. 

However, God never stops loving us, and his loving forgiveness comes rolling in like the waves of the sea! God’s love enables us to be completely forgiven! Perhaps you are needing a fresh start. Take heart! God can forgive you, and he will toss your sins into the deep sea of forgetfulness (cf. Micah 7:18-19; Hebrews 8:12). 

A fresh new start awaits you today in Jesus (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:3-4)! 

Brandon Baggett is preaching minister at Luverne Church of Christ.