Forgiveness

Today I'm just spending the afternoon with the Lord, reflecting on his forgiveness. I went to work from 6-12 today, and now that I'm home, I'm just spending some time thinking.

Have you guys heard the new single by Casting Crowns--East to West--??

It's the most beautiful song I think I've ever heard. It speaks of the amazing forgiveness of the Lord...and how amazing it is that he has cast our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. I can't get this song out of my head. Even more then that, I can't comprehend how incredible the Lord's forgiveness is. Every sin of deceit, every sin of disobedience, every sin of selfishness, every sin of lust, every sin of omission, every sin of pride, every sin with malicious intent....every sin of every kind....can be and is forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ.

As a "church kid" I often forget how powerful that forgiveness is. I think that if I had done some "really bad sins" then maybe forgiveness would mean more to me....and I'd be more thankful....but because I haven't, sometimes I guess I don't think of myself as in need of forgiveness. To most people, I seem like a good person.....but Jesus knows my sin....and even with that knowledge, he STILL chose to die for me. What an awesome gift! I often seem to forget how terrible my sin....any sin....really is. Somehow I justify my sin by saying, "well, it wasn't nearly as bad as what she/he did." But that is such a lie. My sin grieves Jesus just as much as anyone else's.

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8

That scripture is so amazing. The truth is, Jesus didn't die for a good person...he died for me....a disgusting, dirty, helpless sinner. And if that isn't enough, I take that gift for granted! How often do I find myself choosing sin over God? Too much. My selfish desires so easily choke out my desire to honor Jesus...but what have those selfish desires ever done for me? Nothing. Here's Jesus, who has given me everything, and I chose something else? What? It makes no sense.

Now you all are probably thinking that I must have done SOMETHING to prompt this thinking....and you're right, I have a whole life of sin behind me (and ahead of me) that needs forgiveness.

Under the amazing grace of Christ,

Julie