“The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:8-14 NIV)
We can all remember our past regrets and sins. Wouldn’t it be great to revisit and correct them? If we could only take back that word, use a different attitude, or not do the act that was done. Oh the agony of regret! Of course, we all know that we cannot go back and change our past.
Trying to act better or change our habits will not erase our sins. Philanthropy and good works will not do it. Trying harder to do better is not the answer either. God has the only complete and perfect solution to every regret and sin in our lives . . . past and present.
God’s response to our sin is full of compassion, grace, and love. His response is neither an angry accusation nor the retribution of justice. He doesn’t put us on probation, because our best behavior cannot satisfy his eternal court. Instead, He sent his son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins . . . the shame, the stain, the pain.
The Cross of Calvary was the punishment — the cleansing sacrifice — for our sins. And Calvary’s sacrifice is the only act that is acceptable to God for removing our sin and guilt. When we put our faith in God’s solution on Calvary, then the cleansing blood of that sacrifice is applied to us and solves our sin problem . . . past, present, and future.
The Cross of Calvary was the delete button for all history. When we place our faith in that sacrifice, God deletes all our sins and places them in the trash bin of eternity never to be retrieved. The Holy Spirit bathes us in the blood of Christ and that bath completely removes our sins and God’s memory of them. This is God’s response to our sin.
How will we respond to him? “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out” (Act 3:19 NIV).
Dear Father, thank you for your work on Calvary in our behalf. Forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. AMEN
Be encouraged today in God’s forgiveness and forgetfulness,