Forgiven to Forgive

“I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again." Isaiah 43:25 (NLT)

       What a truly profound yet simple message. A message where God says to us in so many words, "I will totally wipe out all your sins from my memory. That compromising situation where you gave into temptation and failed. That time where you spoke harshly against your brother or sister. Those instances for me are totally forgiven and released from My memory."

         This truly amazing level of grace serves as an example for us, a model, if you will, on how we ought to be with others. Yet, sometimes the choices we make run counter to this line of thinking. We choose to hold grudges, or bitterness towards others because of the hurtful things they may have said or done.  Or when someone fails in the most simple elements of life we become critical of them and totally judge and condemn them. It's as if we feel like we are better than God because we refuse to do the very thing He does for us.

           You can tell a person that has true forgiveness in their lives, because they reflect love in all instances not holding grudges against anyone, always forgiving, always loving. This person refuses to give into gossip, or hate of any sort. More than anything this person reflects what God promises He will do for us in this passage. So the question persists... "Are we going to be for God's ways, or are we going to live as if we are better than Him?" If you remember nothing about this passage...remember this simple fact, that you are forgiven to forgive.