"Almost"

"Almost!" It can be one of the saddest words that so many use today. It comes in different flavors. The one that got away. I nearly did it. It was right there in front of me. But most of the time it's "almost!" I "almost" got to play. I "almost" closed the largest sale in history. I "almost" got married. I "almost" climbed to the top.

We listen closely to Scripture and read about Jesus standing face to face with Pilate. Can you imagine? The governor standing face to face, eye to eye with His Creator and His Redeemer. The accusations were flying at Jesus past Pilate like hot volcanic rocks that have been hurled into the air. Each time Pilate brought Jesus before himself and found no crime, no fault and nothing to accuse Him. All the power that Pilate had to release Jesus was there too and Pilate knew it. Jesus did explain that Pilate's authority came from heaven above but still the decision was Pilate's to make. There are at least five times Pilate was weighing in on what to do. The crowd roared. Our Savior stood quietly. His silence had to be more deafening than the crowd yelling!

But then we have that sad word show up..."almost." Pilate's wife sent him a message to have nothing to do with this righteous man (Matt. 27:19). Pilate "almost" listened. Pilate over and over wanted to release Jesus and "almost" did. Who knows what Pilate really felt after handing Jesus over and knowing what happened from that point.

"Almost" is to fail! Just as Pilate washed his hands, that didn't eliminate the decision. One can't close their eyes to their wrongs with some outward justification and be released of their guilt. We too, because we "almost" did it God's way, we "almost" helped someone in need, we "almost" gave Jesus 100 % entrance into our heart but yet many stand still in their filth and defilement. There is no "almost" with Jesus! Jesus doesn't "almost" forgive us of everything. We are forgiven or not forgiven. We are either with Him wholly or against Him...there is no place for "almost" in relationship to Jesus.