Memory is a funny thing. We can forget the name of the person we just met at a dinner party but still remember the theme song to our favorite childhood cartoon show. We can describe with exact detail the outfit we were wearing on our first day on the job, but we can’t recall the bullet points we stayed up late last night studying for the upcoming presentation.
Our limited memory doesn’t always work in our favor, but the all-knowing Lord is not confined to our human tendencies to forget. Nothing gets past Him, and nothing is lost on Him.
When the Bible speaks of God remembering something or not remembering something, it’s not because He is prone to forget, much like we forget someone’s birthday or an appointment on the calendar. The Hebrew word used for God’s remembrance in the Old Testament is zakar, which means that He calls something to mind.
What God chooses to call to mind and what He opts to forget may surprise us. Throughout Scripture, we discover a merciful God who intentionally chooses to not call to mind our wrongdoings. He is all-knowing, and yet, time and time again He lovingly forgets the sins of those who humbly turn to Him. In fact, just like the distance from the east to the west is infinite, so is the immeasurable expanse of the Lord’s forgiveness for those who cry out to Him (Psalm 103:11–12).
Sometimes, trusting in God’s mercy is easier said than done. When faced with our sins, regret quickly snowballs into shame, and we carry the weight of our wrongs like a growing cancer in our hearts. We call to mind our iniquity, instead of resting in the mercy of a God who does not, and it sabotages everything from our sense of self to our relationships with others to our perception of purpose, and most importantly, our worship of Jesus.
In these moments when we are grappling with our moral failures and sinful tendencies, we need look no further than Jesus to remember what God has chosen to forget. Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross is the ultimate expression of God’s mercy towards us. He willingly bore the weight and penalty of our sins, so that we might become benefactors of grace. There is no wrongdoing too evil, no sin too deplorable, no rebellion too wicked for God to choose to forget. Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more.
As you reflect on today’s reading, choose to remember what God calls to mind as He thinks of you. Remember His forgiveness. Remember His mercy. Remember His faithfulness. Remember His love for you. Let your remembrance lead you to repentance. Confess your sins, and receive His mercy. Acknowledge your continual need for Him, and rely on His goodness. He is not the God who holds grudges and keeps records of wrongs; He is the Lord of faithful love and abundant compassion (Psalm 51:1).
Traci G & anyone else struggling to forgive your past mistakes…
Something I have been recently practicing is sitting before the Lord and speaking grace to my past.
I literally just say, “God, I am acknowledging this sin from my past. I know that you have forgiven me, but I release the shame of this situation. You died on the cross to remove our shame, too, not just our sin.”
It says in Hebrews 12:2 that Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him (relationship with us!!) And “despised the shame” of the cross. Jesus did not die for just your sin, but the shame it brings. He removed those fig leaves in the garden and clothed Adam & Eve with righteousness (the animal skin representing the clothing of righteousness Jesus’s sacrifice would later bring). Traci G, anyone else, you are freed from that shame!! Don’t let it hold you back. Look at it, look at God, and say “Shame off me, I am beloved and forgiven. I wear new clothing!” You are clothed in the garments of salvation. Remember that and be free, friend.
God bless you and love each one of you! ❤️
Thank you for praying for my procedure yesterday! I did end up having a good~sized polyp that has been sent for pathology. Grateful that they changed the recommendations for screening…I’m 48, and had I waited 2 more years to the old standard of 50 at first screening, it would have been growing that much longer. So here’s your PSA to remember to get your innards checked ;) KRIS, I loved your comment and your straightforward way of listening to your spirit/emotions/sin and dealing with with them immediately in prayer. Not easy to face our sins (or the sins committed against us) and yet such a simple, life-giving solution. ❤️
“Trusting in Gods mercy is easier said than done”- because we are human this revelation hits home BUT the GOD I know is doing something new!!! Todays reading also takes me back to the beginning in Leviticus 20:26 “you are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and have set you apart from the nations to be mine” . We MUST model our behavior around that of Jesus. God chose us, he gave us His son for our sins- we are set apart, we are forgiven and we are made new each day!! Praise God!!! Happy Friday She’s! My prayer is that we each get the opportunity to share of Gods forgiveness to someone this weekend! ☮️❤️
God has “chosen” to forget. Thank you Jesus! Love, love, love this devo this morning. WE are SO hard on ourselves. ME included. I play things over and over in my head, BUT GOD…Our precious JESUS, chooses to forget. NOW, that’s our Father God, our sweet Jesus. Love you all to the moon and back…forever.. Thank you all for praying for regarding testing the little kinders. Other then 2 absent I’m done with the current test and moving on to the next. I was able get-it-down. Thank you. I’m SO relieved.
Ever had one of those days where you realize at the end all the areas you missed? That was me yesterday. As I went to bed, I was overcome with a sense of failure and condemnation. I cried out to God for His forgiveness and help. I reminded myself that condemnation does not come from God.
This lesson was just what I needed today. Because I woke up feeling at the age of 67 that I was pretty much messing up in my walk with Christ! BUT God, reminded me that He is a loving Father who corrects His children and pulls us close to Him in love!
God is good and faithful to us! So thankful for His mercy and grace.
Praying for all of you today. Know God loves you with an everlasting love.
THERESA – Good news about Arno! I know how hard it is to have your children go through surgeries and I’m glad we could all lift you up in prayer.
MIA – You are in my heart and prayers. Losing a child is so very painful.
Ah memory…I have a good one…
Why can’t I let things go. Forgive and forget. The forgetting is the hard part. I’m ashamed of that especially when we have a Father that forgets as far as the east is from the west. If He can forgive me all I’ve done in my younger years; why can I not forget those that have wronged me. It is so wrong on my part.
He is not the God who holds grudges and keeps records of wrongs; He is the Lord of faithful love and abundant compassion.
I love “as far as the east is from the west”. Have you ever looked at a globe? You can go east and keep going east and never run into west. But you can’t go north forever without eventually heading south.
I know scripture says to not remember the sins of the past, but the LORD has been walking me thru some healing in the past couple years from events in my past. He has gently brought up past sins because He wanted to heal me and help me to forgive myself and the other people involved. I live in a quiet neighborhood and walk my dog quite frequently. During those early morning or late evening walks, I talk with God. That is when He often brings up some painful memory – not to condemn me, but to bring healing to that part of my heart. He will let me feel the pain of that particular situation, but then as soon as I ask Him to forgive me, and help me forgive either myself or the other person, that sin no longer holds emotional pain. That’s when I know I am healed.
So if a particular “sin” is haunting your mind, maybe it’s God trying to help you bring healing and forgiveness to that situation. It doesn’t have to be big or complicate, just ask Him to forgive you, ask Him to bring healing and restoration to you and anyone else involved. And let Him wash His forgiveness all over you. Then you can put that sin behind you, and God forgets all about it.