Jeremiah 31:34b – For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. (NIV)

Of the many beautiful sayings in the Old Testament, this verse from Jeremiah is one of my all-time favourites. Sometimes, I find myself reliving the past and regretting the mistakes that I have made. My stupidity, selfishness, and sinfulness of years long gone still cast a shadow over my soul. I feel ashamed for what I've done, as well as feeling totally unworthy of God's grace. In my darkest of moments, I fear God's punishment and dread His wrath.

And then I re-read Jeremiah's prophetic words, and I feel reassured about my salvation. God forgives me completely through the sacrificial death of His Son, Jesus Christ, and then adds a beautiful bonus: He will not remember, recall, or revisit my past sins after forgiving me.

This is one of the most beautiful gifts that I or anyone can ever receive. It is a wonderful way to forgive my failings from the past and to give me a bounty of hope for the future. I could never forgive like this, but God, who loves me truly, really can. This is the reason why I seek to serve Him all of my days; this is why I love being a Christian.

Perhaps you are carrying the burden of guilt from some mistake that you committed in the past. It may be that you cannot forgive yourself for something bad that occurred. Let God do within you what God does best: let Him forgive you in order to release you from that burden and to restore you to His love forever.

Questions for personal reflection:

Is there a serious mistake from my past that still plagues me emotionally and spiritually? Am I willing to take it to God in order to be fully forgiven through Jesus Christ, my Saviour?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know me completely; therefore, there are no secrets in my life that I can ever hide from You. I confess that there are things that I deeply regret and often wish had never occurred. Forgive me for being wicked and foolish, sinful and selfish. In Your holy name, I humbly pray. Amen.

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About the author:

John Stuart <traqair@aol.com>
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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