Seven year-old Brooke spent the night at Grandma and Granddaddy’s during the summer break from school. Since she only has an older brother, Brooke enjoys coming here where our other granddaughters have their Barbies and CD players.

We had all stayed up late the night before but Brooke was up early the next morning. As I walked down the hall I heard sweet sounds coming from her closed bedroom door. Gently I knocked on the door and peeped in to see what Brooke was singing.

There she sat in the middle of the bed with the earphones on. Her face was alive with the music and I could hear her singing about pure water flowing around. About pure water so deep that it made her soul at ease. I knew these were some of the words from a Christian CD. Brooke smiled at me and didn’t miss a beat as she sang about the storms of life that wouldn’t pull her down. It pleased this grandmother that my seven year-old granddaughter was singing about being made free by the pure water of life in Jesus Christ.

Her young mind did not understand the troubles that rise upon the left and right she was singing about. I knew though that those words would have to be reinforced many times as she grew into adulthood.

No one is without sin. And often as we confess our sins and repent, those thoughts and actions want to creep back in again. But, because of the pure flowing river of life, Jesus Christ, that young Brooke was singing about, there can be an ongoing cleansing in our lives.

Thank you, Lord, for providing forgiveness by your mercy when we ask for it. It is my prayer that Brooke will always, moment by moment, all of her life, make confession and repentance a regular part of her life with God.