Friday, February 18, 2011

GOD'S FORGIVENESS



Even though you are a Christian things have not always been perfect. I am a Christian. Things have not always been the best they could be. I have had setbacks. When I was young I went to Sunday School. I memorized verses in the Bible. I attended Church. I tried to live the way God wanted me to live. I finished High School and debated whether to go to College. After a year of debating this issue I decided that I did not want to go to College. I took a different road. I volunteered for the United States Air Force. I joined for 4 years. I was in the States for 2 and 1/2 years then I went to the Philippines for 1 and 1/2 years. Those 4 years were not wasted entirely. I served my country. However, I may have been better off to get a College education. I would have been able to get a better job. I could have made more money. There were also other considerations. While in the USAF I was away from home. I went to Church but not on a regular basis. I strayed away from God. I knew I was on the wrong path. Once I got back home I realized I needed to change my ways. I certainly had a lot of failures. I thought it would be impossible to start over with God. If only I could start again. I started reading my Bible. I knew I could start over. There is a story about how God forgives and forgets. A church member called the Pastor's Office to get an appointment. She had something serious to discuss with her Pastor. An appointment was given and a time was set. The lady and her daughter was in the office a few minutes before the appointed time. The secretary ushered the lady into the Pastor's Office. The daughter waited in the waiting area, reading a book. The woman started talking as she was seated in front of the Pastor's desk. She said - I have a problem with my daughter. She is telling everyone that she talks with God. I'm not talking about prayer. I'm saying she is talking with God and He is talking with her. Questions are asked and answered. God talks with her about her dolls. They talk about everything. She tells everyone at school about talking with God. The Pastor listened patiently and asked to speak with the little girl. She came into the office. The Pastor says - So, you have been talking with God. Her answer was Yes. I talk with Him every day. He tells me things. I tell Him things. We are good friends. The Pastor says - That is wonderful. Would you do something for me? I recently had a long conversation with God. I did something wrong. I believe God was not happy with me. I asked Him to forgive me. The next time you speak with Him I would like you to ask him about the mistake I made. Ask him what I did wrong. Then you come back next week and tell me what God said. Then the pastor asked the little girl to wait outside. He told her mother to bring her back next week at the same time and he would straighten out the whole thing. The next week both mother and daughter was in the office. The pastor greeted them and invited them inside his office. They were seated and he asked the little girl if she had talked with God. She smiled and said- Sure, I talk with God every day. The pastor said- Did you ask him about me wanting forgiveness for something I did wrong. She smiled and said- Yes I did. Well - - What did God say?
God said- I've forgotten.
When we confess our sins and repent before God, He forgives us. He forgets our sins. We are forgiven and washed in His blood.
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FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD

9 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

A good story (and a Biblical truth). We just can't believe it because we're so UNgodlike!

Jane said...

Thanks for sharing the story,I wish I could forgive as quickly as god,but that is part of what makes us human.Anyway thanks for sharing. Blessings jane

JT said...

Thanks for your comments Gorges and Jane.

Angie said...

Hi John. Wanted to stop by and let you know that I just awarded you the Versatile Blogger award. I love reading your posts!

http://www.thoughts4theroad.com/2011/02/and-bloggy-goes-to.html

JT said...

Thanks for your comment Angie and thanks for the award.

Ken said...

He casts our sins as far as east is to west. What a great story.

JT said...

Thanks for your comment Ken.

hoovstir - Laurie said...

First of all, thanks for serving our country and building your relationship with Christ. Second, thanks for sharing this story. To often we dwell on what we have done wrong in our life instead of accepting God's forgiveness, learning from it and move on to put what we have learned to work to bless others. This story reminds us of just that...We all need to remember God forgives and then forgets...our sins are as far as the east is from the West...AMEN!
Blessings on you!

JT said...

Thanks for your comment Laurie.