Yes, “forgiveness” is spelled wrong, but the purpose of the misspelling is to point out that God loved us so much that he sent Jesus to die for us before we ever sinned.  God, in His infinite love, knew that we would be sinners.  He knew that we would be the worst kind of sinners, who repeat the same sins over and over again; and yet, He sent His Son, Jesus, to live and die and live again, just for us. 

Understanding this concept is difficult, but with a small grain of faith, we can see that it is all because He loves us.  God loves us, He is able to do what He promises, and He will forgive us and save us, no matter what we have done.  In our court system there’s a term for those who have been convicted more than once of any kind of crime.  Those prisoners are labeled “repeat offenders.”  We all know we are sinners and if we were honest, we would all have to admit to being repeat offenders.  What a glorious moment to realize that God’s grace is large enough to handle a lifetime of sin and disobedience, even before we are born.

So in this present moment, thank God for his past foregiveness for the sins that have been in the past and for those that are sure to come.  Step out of the guilt that may be holding you back in your service to Him.  Admit that His grace was enough two thousand years ago and it is more than enough today.

“Thank you, Lord, for your total and complete foregiveness so long ago.  Thank you that you are timeless and your love and foregiveness are not limited by any sin.  Right now, I lay down my sin and humbly ask your forgiveness, knowing that in my asking, I am demonstrating my faith in your ability and desire to forgive.  I praise you for lifting that burden from me and I gladly shrug off the guilt that comes from carrying it so long.  Now, in obedience to you, I choose to live victoriously, knowing that when I fall again, you will be there to pick me up, lovingly dust me off, and place me back on the path you’ve prepared for me.”

Janet Sikes Anderson

Copyright March 4, 2005