The Gospel According to an Etch A Sketch

Do you remember the Etch A Sketch? That shiny red rectangle with two little white knobs that could entertain a kid for hours. One knob made horizontal lines, the other made vertical lines, and if we turned them together — it seemed like a miracle!

Suddenly, we were artists creating crooked houses, lopsided hearts, and endless squiggles.

But the real amazement? We could turn it upside down, give it a little shake, and — poof — every mistake vanished. A clean screen. A fresh start. Whoohoo!

It’s been 65 years since the Etch A Sketch hit toy shelves, and while technology has skyrocketed since then — smartphones, video games — nothing beats that satisfying shake and clean slate.

And honestly, isn’t that exactly what God does for us?

Psalm 103:10–12 says, “He does not treat us as our sins deserve -- as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” God wipes the whole screen clean.

We mess up — impatience, envy, sour attitude, grumpy, wimpy, whiny AND sharp words we wish we could take back. But the moment we turn to God and confess, apologize and receive His grace -- He turns our messy red box upside down.

THEN. Gone. Erased. Not counted against us. "Old things passed away -- all things become new, " (2 Corinthians 5:17)

John reminds us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Dear friends -- maybe today you’re staring at a screen full of regrets, shame, or “I wish I hadn’t.” Here’s the good news: God’s grace gives you a brand-new canvas. His mercy is not limited by how messy the picture has been.

So go ahead — hand Him your Etch A Sketch heart. Let Him shake loose the guilt, wipe away the past, and draw something beautiful and brand new. His mercies are “new every morning.” (Lamentations 3:23)

Aren’t we so thankful that our Creator is also the ultimate Re-creator?

God shakes the slate clean. “As far as the east is from the west…” (Psalm 103:12)

#GraceThatRestores #CleanSlate