Forgive and Forget

"I will forgive their wickedness and will never again remember their sins" (Jer. 31:34).

A group of high-spirited students once played a prank on the principal of their college. The principal overreached and the whole business caused quite an upheaval. Lectures were canceled, there was an emergency staff meeting and punishment was meted out. During the course of the day, the students in question decided to apologize, and asked for a meeting with the principal. After listening to their story and apology, the principal answered, "Gentlemen, I accept your apology and there will be no punishment. The incident will be removed from the record books."

We human beings sometimes find it possible to forgive, but we seldom forget. God both forgives and forgets. God made it possible for the people of Israel to start over by forgiving and forgetting their unfaithfulness and disobedience.
Jesus offers you the same forgiveness. He is ready and waiting to let you start over with no record of past wrongs. If you turn back to Him, repent, confess and decide to break with your wicked ways, He accepts your confession and says, "I will never even give this another thought." The record is blank and He puts your sins behind you forever so that you can move on with a clear conscience. You don't need to feel guilty about anything anymore because you are now in the right relationship with God. You are now free to be a new, mature person "in Christ."

Father God, enable me to follow Your example and to forgive and forget. Amen.