East From West

The chief of police stood sheepishly before the city council. Council members recalled how he had lobbied for an upgraded computer system. When finally purchased, the system was loaded with data, and his staff endeavored to take every precaution.

Then, out of the blue, a bolt of lightning struck, and the computer’s memory was erased. No back-up had been kept, so all data was lost. Law-breakers rejoiced, but city politicians were exasperated and angry.

Many computer users have experienced similar problems, often through various forms of “crashes,” which teach the importance of backing up data. But these experiences also provide a powerful illustration of God’s forgiveness. In His sight, something forgiven is gone forever, just like the information erased from a computer’s memory. It cannot be brought back. The record is wiped out, and we can start over again with a clean slate.

David knew what it meant to be forgiven. He knew that when God forgives our sins, they are separated “as far as the east is from the west.”

Yet, in spite of this promise, many people fail to accept God’s forgiveness. They also may fail to forgive others and, as a consequence, fail to enjoy the freedom God wants for each of us.

When we live with a spirit of forgiveness, potential hurts and hindrances are removed from us. In fact, unforgiveness can weigh down our hearts and minds and affect our attitudes and actions far into the future. But, when we confess our sins to God, the Bible promises that He erases our guilt and even the memory of every sin.

Today, are you worried about sins you’ve committed? Are there burdens that weigh you down? Remember: Jesus died so you could be forgiven. Confess your sins. Be honest with God. Accept His complete forgiveness and freedom.