Ezra 9:13, 15 What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this. … Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence.
I awoke in the night and memories of the past began to invade my sleepless mind. I think I was a pretty difficult child to raise; I can almost hear my grandmother again, “Dotty, why can’t you be still?!” “Dotty, why must you be so loud?!” And I totally understand why my grandmother patiently explained many times, “Dotty, the Lord gave us two ears and one mouth so that we would listen twice as much as we speak.” I know I’m not very proud of my teenage years and I don’t have many fond memories of my young adulthood either. Pretty self-centered and oblivious to anyone else, not to mention doing things I know were completely wrong.
I am so humbly grateful and thankful that my Heavenly Father understands. Now to be absolutely clear, God hates sin, and it doesn’t matter what form it takes or to what degree. There are no little white lies (and no, that’s not intended racially or politically), and with God it doesn’t matter if you only thought it and didn’t actually say it. It also doesn’t matter if you really intended to get it done; but didn’t. Sins of commission or sins of omission—it’s all the same to God. Sin is sin. Yet the blessing is this: throughout the Bible we are reminded that God’s wrath is brief but his mercy is great.
Micah 7:18-19 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
Psalm 25:6-7 Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from old. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, LORD, are good.
Psalm 30:5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Psalm 130:3-4 If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
Our course of action is simple.
Psalm 80:5-6 You, LORD, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. Hear my prayer, LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me.
Romans 10:13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
God’s response is nothing less than amazing.
Hebrews 8:12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.
As I continued thinking, my sleepless mind realized: If my Heavenly Father forgives my past transgressions and remembers them no more; what right do I have to dredge those memories back up and let them keep me awake? The same Heavenly Father who provides perfect mercy and grace to forgive my past transgressions, is the same Heavenly Father who provides perfect peace and restful sleep.
Gracious Heavenly Father,
I recognize your total wrath for sin in any form or degree. I am humbly grateful and thankful for your great mercy and compassion. How thankful I am for forgiveness through your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you for removing thoughts of past transgressions from my sleepless mind and thank you for providing peaceful nights of rest.
In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, Amen.
The devotional Peaceful Nights of Rest appeared first on Write From My Heart at
https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com
email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com
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