Forgiveness

O Lord, our God, you answered your people;
   you showed them that you are a God who forgives,
   even though you punished them for their sins.
Praise the Lord our God,
   and worship at his sacred hill!
   The Lord our God is holy. (verses 8,9)

Read Psalm 99

Forgiveness is never easy. The world is full of anger, war and broken relationships, largely because we find it so hard to forgive. Think of how our inability to forgive breaks up our homes and families.

But do you know that God also finds it hard to forgive? He can’t just forget about your failures and sin as though it doesn’t affect your relationship with him. He makes that clear to you every time you look at the cross. There simply was no other way to bring people back into a loving relationship with him. In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus tested whether there was another way. But it had to be the cross. That’s why you hear your Saviour on the cross praying the way he does: ‘Forgive them, Father! They don’t know what they are doing’ (Luke 23:34).

Forgiveness is never easy. It cost God the life of his only Son for you to be set free from all that sin does to you and for you to be forgiven. That’s why the people of God love to praise and worship him. You are a forgiven person, your relationship with God is perfect – but only because of Jesus. Praise his holy name!

Heavenly Father, remind me every day of the forgiveness I have in Jesus. I want to thank and praise you for this undeserved gift. Thank you, Father. Amen.

Devotion by Len Tscharke in “Refreshment for each day” (LCA, Openbook Publishers, 2003)

Visit the Daily Devotion archives page.