Looking back upon my life during the past number of years, I knew I had missed out many of God's choicest blessings upon my life because of my disobedience, lack of discipline in my life or loss of my 'first love' for Him on countless occasions. I knew I had failed Him many times. Had I been more careful, more prayerful, more focussed and had I spent more time at His feet,....but regrets do not bring back lost opportunities! Those days, months and years are now gone forever!
Sometimes I wish I could rewind the past years and erase a large chunk of my life, and then restart it all over in a new and different way! Each day of my life would be stamped with a clear mark of obedience to my Lord, Jesus Christ, and I'll enjoy His fellowship and His presence every moment! How I wish I could do that!!
As I was reflecting on these thoughts, one Bible verse after another came to my mind:
"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more". (Jer. 31:34). When God forgives my sins, He forgets! What an amazing thought!
"Search will be made for Israel's guilt, but there will be none; and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found.." (Jer. 50:20) When God forgives, He erases every trace of my sins! What an amazing God! Only Him, and Him alone could do such a thing! Awesome God!
A psalm of David followed: "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us". (Psalm 103:12) . Scientists tell us that no matter how far you go around the globe, east will never meet west! When God takes away my sins, no one will ever see them again! They are gone forever! Hallelujah!
Now I do not have to wrestle with guilt about my past! They are gone! My sins have been erased from God's great Book! " The blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin", says John (1 John 1:7).
God Himself said again in Isaiah 1:18, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool". Now, I realized that God has given me 'a clean slate' to start afresh with my life. I don't have to look back in to the past, but look ahead with joyful anticipation of His grace to see me through all the way! How wonderful is this God! Hallelujah! He is the God of Jacob the cheater; the God of David the adulterer and murderer; the God of Thomas the doubter; the God of Peter the backslider; and finally He is the God of sinners like me, the God of love and mercy!!
So then, knowing that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13), I am going to face the days ahead, "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I [will] press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus"!(Phil. 3:13&14)
I love this GOD! There is none like HIM! He is My GOD!! Amazing ! Hallelujah!!
