Verses 31-32: Suppose a man says to God, ’I am guilty but will offend no more. Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’
Reflection: I loved this chapter and it was so hard for me to choose a couple of verses to really think about. I chose these 2 because they just demonstrate the mercy and Grace God has for us. I mean, we are all sinners and we don’t deserve God’s goodness. He willingly gives us the opportunity to know and have a relationship with him. AND if we have sinned, all we need to do is ask forgiveness and everything is forgotten. I love that it is this way with God. My Father was always one to hold a grudge and remember past wrong doings, when something came up, and for a while I was the same way. It would take me a long time to finally forgive the person who had hurt me and move on. I am always in such awe that God can take all of this hurt and just forget about the sin instantly, only if we ask him. I love God so much and it hurts me to think that every day I hurt him, but we were born into sin. All I can ask is that God try and help me to stay on the right path, and when I do sin it is a comfort to know that forgiveness is just a prayer away.
I don’t mean that a person should sin with reckless abandon, knowing that they will always be forgiven. I wonder if God sees through the apologies that sometimes people make, him knowing that they are just going to do it again. It’s a tough subject for me, but I take solace knowing that God is never going to hold a grudge against me, nor will he ever deny me of forgiveness.
Prayer: Lord help me to not make empty apologies. And help me to give forgiveness as readily as you do.
