Forgive and forget! – 2 April 2020

For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Jeremiah 31:34

How important is forgiveness in reconciling with God and your neighbour (husband, friend, sister, child employee, etc). Most of us can confess to saying these words: “I forgive you, but forget, never!” However, when the Books are opened at the end of time which is described in Revelation 20:12, we all wonder if our sins will be written up in the Book, and whether God will call us to account. The bad news is that God does not delete his memory bank. However, when it comes to our iniquities and our sin, we read in Jeremiah 31:34, that God has forgiven our sins and that He chooses not to remember. Choosing not to remember is different from forgetting. It simply means that He will not take the trouble to recall our sins. For God, our sins of the past are forgiven and forgotten.

And so it should be with us. However, we will always have painful memories of our wrongdoing, because the effects of sin ripple out far beyond our efforts to control it. Therefore, reside in Christ as He resides in you.

Prayer: Lord, how can we thank you for forgiving and reconciling with us and lifting the burden of sin off our backs? We know that sin causes immense harm in people’s lives. Let us forgive others, as you have forgiven us. Amen