As I was spending some time this morning in fellowship with the living God, communing together, the Lord gave me a new illustration that I had never thought of before. One of the greatest good things that came to mind this morning was the forgiveness of our sins & wrongdoings through the death & resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.
Part of a devotional time with the Lord is in seeing if there are things hindering my ability to commune with the Lord & that is usually where I have wronged God or another person. To have one's relationship with another, be it friend or spouse or the Lord, with nothing in between, brings sweet communication that just flows.
This is a good confession that I use frequently & did this morning:
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word & deed, by what we have done & by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry & we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us & lead us, so that we may delight in Your will & walk in Your ways, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.
Two verses in the Bible came to mind.
Psalm 103:11,12 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Eph 3:14-21 for this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
a 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,
16that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,
17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of His love,
19and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20Now to Him who is able to do infinitely more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,
21to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
When God forgives us of our sins as far as the east is from the west, it leaves a vacuum and the love of God fills that vacuum, the heighth & depth & width & breadth!
Hallel YAH.