What a beautifully radiant day, Father. Thank You for its blessing and thank You that when it came to mind, it was followed by a desire that I might be as radiant for You, this and every day! All praise to You, God almighty!
Romans 4:1-8 (<<click here to read the passage)
In my youth, I think it was when I was in high school, I became very dissatisfied with my walk with Christ. I felt like I was constantly falling and was constantly seeking forgiveness. I remember falling on my bed at a West Virginia church camp of some sort and crying out to God. Part of that was the fact that I was falling into the same temptations over and over again. I’m sure that I knew that those sins were forgiven and forgotten by God, but I couldn’t forgive myself. I had committed no egregious sin, but their culmination all weighed heavily upon me. And even then, I held it to be true that sin was sin, regardless of its severity from my limited and adolescent perspective.
Romans 4:5 states,
…people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. NLT
My Life Application Study Bible reads,
We must remember that Jesus is willing and able to forgive every sin. In view of the tremendous price he paid on the cross, it is arrogant to think that there is any sin too great for him to forgive. Even though our faith is weak, our conscience is sensitive, and our memory haunts us, God’s Word declares that sins confessed are sins forgiven.
It then referenced 1 John 1:9,
If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose]. AMP
And then one more passage came to mind, Psalm 103:12. This has come to mind before, but it is so powerful in dealing with the weight of sin we may carry! Its encompassing verses speak volumes.
8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 He will not constantly accuse us,
nor remain angry forever.
10 He does not punish us for all our sins;
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
12 He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
13 The Lord is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
14 For he knows how weak we are;
he remembers we are only dust.
Think about that 12th verse. If I place my finger on a globe and go north, I will eventually go south. BUT…if I trace my finger across the equator heading east – I will never go west. The two never meet. That is how far our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has removed our sins from us!
Our faith may be weak, but we can cling to God’s Word – sins confessed are sins forgiven! Amen!
Nov 9th, 2022, Wed, 1:03 pm
