Stewarding the Heart: Embracing God’s Forgiveness. Message Magazine’s Daily, Online Devotional for Sunday, March 3, 2019.
Listen to “Thoughts in Worship 03.03.2019” on Spreaker.
“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left” (II Chronicles 34:2).
The Bible has a way of revealing the character of God that we would miss completely if the Holy Spirit was not with us. One of the characteristics of God that leaps from the pages is His ability to forgive and forget. Obviously, forgetting does not mean that He miraculously gives Himself amnesia. It does mean however that He does not hold forgiven sins against us while we remain in good relationship with Him. “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isaiah 43:25).
I believe the Lord when He says that He forgives and does not remember, because God makes an interesting statement about young king Josiah. He said that he was right in the sight of the Lord just like His father David. Wait a minute! Is this a misprint? Did not David murder a man just to cover up his own lust and adultery? Did not David take the dead man’s wife as his own? How in the world can God say that David was righteous?
As is the case with all repentant sinners, God honored His promise to forgive those who repent and confess their sin to Him. You see, God’s accounting is not like ours. God’s love for the repentant sinner does not allow Him to keep a record of wrong. The simple fact is that God answered David’s prayer when he prayed, “Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities” (Psalms 51:9).
Are there sins that you have confessed for which you feel unforgiven? Take a lesson from David’s experience with God. When he pursued God with his entire heart, all separation between them, including sin, was removed. Pray that the Lord will restore you through forgiveness, and you too will be called righteous. God’s ability to forget gives us the ability to live on streets of gold. Be sure to thank God for this blessing.
Welcome to the privilege of becoming faithful stewards of your hearts. Manage responsibly, in Jesus’ name.
