“If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” Psalm 130:4

In anger, someone who chose to abandon Christianity – someone I love — said to me, “Who needs all that guilt?!” And I agreed. For years I felt so miserably guilty, I kept trying harder to be acceptable to God. To be weighed down by the memories of my sins was more than I could bear.

Scripture says that even God gets tired of our sins. “Rather you have burdened me with your sins, You have wearied me with your iniquities.” But He goes on to say, “…I am the one who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25).

Really? For His own sake?

Only God can do this because of who He is. “Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity?… You do not stay angry forever, but delight to show mercy” (Micah 7:18).

How can I set your heart ablaze with the wonderful relief of this truth? If God wanted us to suffer continuously with guilt, Jesus would not have foiled the devil’s plan by taking our sins on Himself on the cross. He frees us from condemnation. “Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits, who forgives all your iniquity” (Psalm 103:2,3a). God loves you and me so individually, so entirely and kindly, that even though we have sinned, He extends inexhaustible, plentiful, and perpetual mercy and love to us who are in Christ (Ephesians 2:4,5). We can depend on His love, for it moved Him to forgive us.

Lord Jesus Christ, I thank you for your immense mercy for me, one who still sins. I thank you for the extravagant love and freedom from guilt that you provided. Yet, without your help, I am not able to grasp that nothing can come between me and your love. So help me to surrender to your tender love again and again today. Grant me the grace to trust your unswerving support in our life together. Amen.

By Sue Braid
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•  Forgiveness – Yourself and  Others

•  Struggles, Despair

•  Salvation Explained

The post Misery and Mercy appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,� Psalm 33:18

Judy grew up surrounded by dirty concrete and smelly trash in a big city. 

Now she had two children of her own and no help to pay bills.  She had a few small jobs, but her family was often left alone.  Judy lost all hope.  She wanted her misery to end.

Then, one evening, she heard singing from the Salvation Army Mission.  Spontaneously, she walked into the center and began singing along. 

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she heard a message of hope and God’s love for the first time in her life.

That night, Judy asked Jesus into her life.  Joy filled her heart.  People offered to help solve her problems.  Judy felt alive for the first time in years.

Dear friend, in the name of Jesus, take time today to help someone in need.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/blog/2009/05/01/vb_hope/

The post Finding Hope at Salvation Army appeared first on Thoughts About God.