Forgiven

 

Psalm 25:7.  NRSV 

Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

    according to your steadfast love remember me,

    for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!

One of the things that should be on my gratitude list every day is my absolute belief in God’s grace and forgiveness - that God really does forget about my transgressions and the sins of my youth (although to be honest my “youth” did last until I was nearly 40).

In the church of my upbringing we went to confess our sins every week.  We would be given some penance - usually lots of time spent on our knees praying - and be granted absolution.  Which would have been fine and very Biblical.  “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”. (John 20:23).  But then I was taught that even if I confessed everything and received absolution, even if that happened in the last minutes before I died, I would still have to endure punishment in Purgatory for every one of the sins of my lifetime for thousands of years before I would be forgiven fully and allowed to enter Heaven.  

When I started attending 12 Step meetings people told me over and over again that:

There is a God, and it is not me. 

God loves me just as I am and wants only the best for me.  

God gave me free will so I could make my own life choices.

God will  forgive me everything, if I ask.  

Eventually I began to believe them.  I learned to go over my day each night, seeing where I went wrong and determining to do better the next day - and seeing what I did well so that I could keep doing that.

God forgives our sins and then allows us to start fresh as though they did not happen.  Each day is a new beginning, a new opportunity to choose the good, to make the decisions that are most likely to please God.  I am so grateful that my God loves and forgives and cares about me, even me, no matter what I did in the past.

Forgiving God, your willingness to forgive and allow a fresh start as many times as necessary is overwhelming.  I do not deserve your loving care and compassion, but I am so grateful for them.  I love you Lord and desire only to do those things that will please you.  Help me to choose the right today.  Amen