Forgiveness is Just That Easy
Isaiah 44:22 NIV
"I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you."
Yesterday I talked about how we as Christians tend to feel bad for our sins long after we have been forgiven. That often times we tend to let the shame and guilt from our actions linger much longer than we should. I truly believe that we do this because it is our own form of self-punishment. However, God is not a God of punishment. He does not punish us as our sins deserve because Jesus took that punishment on our behalf when he died a brutal death on the cross. Today's scripture tells us exactly what God does with our sins, and to some this may be surprising! These words were spoken to Jacob, who was later called Israel after living a life of cheating and lying. He had fled from his own brother Esau, after having deceived his elderly father into giving him his brother's birth right and was basically running from God as well. He deserved to feel bad and be punished for his actions, but God had another plan for his life.
In turning to God, just as his father Issaac and grandfather Abraham had done, Jacob was not only forgiven but also rewarded. Clouds are here today and gone tomorrow. In the blink of an eye, a white puffy cloud can seem to vanish into thin air. Similarly, the morning mist is gone just moments after the sun rises in the sky. When we return to living a blameless life through Christ, God will just as easily wipe us clean of our transgression. Because he is so quick to forgive us, it is crucial that we work diligently at being able to forgive ourselves. We are mortals, and unable to live the perfect life that Christ lived. However, with Christ, we are able to make mistakes, repent, and be reconciled with our Lord and savior. Think of it this way: If Jacob hadn't returned to the Lord, we would have no Israel. It is through Israel that we were blessed with our loving and gracious Jesus... The true gift of salvation. That, my friends, is pure redemption at its best.
Are you struggling with forgiving yourself?
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