by Elizabeth Haarberg

The beauty of forgiveness.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

Forgetting is hard to do sometimes and so is realizing we aren’t judged by God on what we did twenty years ago or even five minutes ago, if we repent.

He created the idea of newness. Flowers, trees, all creation is renewed by His command.

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.”
Isaiah 43:18-21

God is always renewing us. He is forming us to let others know how good He is.

Even as I’m writing this, in the back of my mind I’m thinking about all the people who knew me before I was a Christian. What are they thinking? ‘Her? Really?’

And even now, what if I’ve done something to someone who is thinking ‘Really? She claims all this stuff but doesn’t live it?’

God is constantly reconciling us to Himself. Reminding us who we truly are, how He created us.

His mercies are new every morning. Thank God!

I’m not finished. I am a work in progress. Progress being the key point, moving not just forward but upward.

Don’t listen to the voices that say you are too far gone or you used to be a Christian but you’ve moved too far away for Him to reach you.

Think about the man on the cross who was forgiven instantly right before taking his last breath. If he was terrible enough to deserve death but instead received eternal life, who couldn’t?

“And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:43

He’s always doing a new thing and makes a way in the most difficult circumstances. We just need to listen and obey.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado