"Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed are those whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit." (Psalm 32:1-2)
A Sunday School teacher had just concluded her lesson and wanted to make sure she had made her point. She said, "Can anyone tell me what you must do before you can obtain forgiveness of sin?" After a brief pause, a voice was heard from the back of the room as a little boy said, "Sin." This simple story tells a significant truth about who we are, but more importantly, it tells us about who God is. Sin is not a creation of God, but grace and mercy certainly are. Therefore, blessing comes to the sinner whose transgressions are covered by God's mercy, whose failures are not counted against him. The apostle Paul said that this grace is not a license to sin, but a continual reminder of God's love.
One could argue that without sin, there could be no forgiveness. To the one who has experienced the undeserved grace and mercy of God, however, the argument turns on the initiation of God's forgiveness made flesh in Jesus Christ, who as we said in yesterday's devotional, became sin "so that we might become the righteousness of God." The forgiven...that's you and me, are blessed indeed.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for not keeping count of the sin that marks our lives. Through Christ, we find forgiveness where sin is remembered no more. Amen.
Jim Abernathy
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