Jan. 21, 2004

[Kidan]

Quote[/b] ]Thus says the Lord: ’I remember . . . the kindness of your youth . . .’
—Jeremiah 2:2

Quote[/b] ]Am I as spontaneously kind to God as I used to be, or am I only expecting God to be kind to me? Does everything in my life fill His heart with gladness, or do I constantly complain because things don’t seem to be going my way? A person who has forgotten what God treasures will not be filled with joy. It is wonderful to remember that Jesus Christ has needs which we can meet—"Give Me a drink" ( John 4:7 ). How much kindness have I shown Him in the past week? Has my life been a good reflection on His reputation?

God is saying to His people, "You are not in love with Me now, but I remember a time when you were." He says, "I remember . . . the love of your betrothal . . ." ( Jeremiah 2:2 ). Am I as filled to overflowing with love for Jesus Christ as I was in the beginning, when I went out of my way to prove my devotion to Him? Does He ever find me pondering the time when I cared only for Him? Is that where I am now, or have I chosen man’s wisdom over true love for Him? Am I so in love with Him that I take no thought for where He might lead me? Or am I watching to see how much respect I get as I measure how much service I should give Him?

As I recall what God remembers about me, I may also begin to realize that He is not what He used to be to me. When this happens, I should allow the shame and humiliation it creates in my life, because it will bring godly sorrow, and "godly sorrow produces repentance . . ." ( 2 Corinthians 7:10 ).

 

[Kidan]

What God remembers. A simple enough statement, and while, it's good to keep in mind what God remembers, what God wants us to be, we should never forget, what God has forgotten.


Because we've sinned, we have the price to pay for that sin. We have to die, and be eternally seperated from our loving creator. Yet because we are Christians, that debt is paid in full, and what's better is that we are carrying a credit balance on that particular balance sheet.

Through Christ's blood we are forgiven of our sins, and when we're forgiven, God has said that those sins are scattered, and forgotten. They are as far from you, as the east is from the west.

But, how often do we forget them? How often do we sit in misery and sorrow, because we are feeling guilty over our transgressions? If you've done this even once, it's too often.

The Bible tells us that we are forgiven, in the same manner that we forgive. Notice it says nothing about who we're to forgive. This is because we're to forgive EVERYONE including ourselves. To not forgive yourself you put your future forgiveness at stack. Holding onto that grief and sin in your mind (which is what you do when you don't forgive) places a heavy debit on that balance sheet.

So today, remember that we as Christians must forgive, for we have been forgiven, and forgive yourself.