Psalm 89: Verses 32-36 (NIV)
I will punish their sin with the rod,
their iniquity with flogging;
but I will not take my love from him,
nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.
I will not violate my covenant
or alter what my lips have uttered.
Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
and I will not lie to David—
that his line will continue forever
and his throne endure before me like the sun;
it will be established forever like the moon,
the faithful witness in the sky.”
Romans Chapter 11: Verse 29 (NIV)
For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
The Psalmist reminds us that God is always faithful to us, even when, sadly, we are unfaithful to Him. Even when we face consequences for the decisions and actions we have taken, if we turn around in repentance, God will work His will out in our lives to ensure that the plans He has for us are outworked. As a crafter sometimes when I make a mistake with a project, I am able to rescue it and work around the mistake and continue with the project. At other times, however, the project can’t be saved and I have to put it in the bin and start again. When that happens, I can get annoyed with myself at the time that has been lost because of my mistake. But God isn’t like that and He never abandons us. Sometimes we make a mistake but at other times we wilfully make a choice to do something that deep down we know is wrong. That is sin, and there are always consequences to sin. God is after all, just and fair. We can always be rescued if we are willing, and God, by His grace is able to restore us. When He does, His plan for us is not spoiled. And He never berate us for the time that we have wasted, or remind us just what a mess we have made. Our sins, when we seek His forgiveness, are cast into the sea of His forgetfulness (Micah Chapter 7: Verse 19). He makes a conscious decision not to remember the things we have repented of, and we are able to continue on the path that He has mapped out for us.
Dear Lord,
How grateful I am that You choose not to remember the things I have repented of. You never cast up these things against me. Help me not to hold on to past wrongs that people may have done to me and to make the choice to forgive as I have been forgiven. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.