Day 20 – Being Forgiven

Brother Lawrence said that even doing all the acts of penitence possible, they would not so much as take away one single sin.

“Without worrying, we must look to the blood of Christ for the remission of sin, working only at loving God with our whole heart. God seems to choose the worst sinners to give the greatest graces, rather than those who remain innocent, because that shows his goodness more.”

Brother Lawrence learned that punishing himself to atone for even one sin didn’t bring him any closer to God. Yet trusting Christ’s finished work on the cross to forgive him of all his sins did bring him close to God.

So he stopped worrying about his sins and rested in God’s grace as the source of true freedom.

Nothing we could ever do would remove our sins between us and God. Nothing within ourselves could we ever offer to barter with God or gain favor with God.

Hard work won’t connect us to God. Honest efforts won’t reconcile us to God. Heartfelt pleading won’t appease God.

Rather, the starting point is always God’s love, God’s grace, God’s mercy, God’s forgiveness. These gifts are made available to us through Christ’s finished work on the cross.

Like the poet: “Nothing in my hand I bring; simply to the cross I cling.”

When we claim our innocence before God, like the self-righteous religious leaders in Jesus’ day, we remain guilty, blind and bound in our sins (John 9:41).

Yet when we acknowledge our sins the most, like the scandalous woman who anointed Jesus’ feet, we are forgiven the most and freed from our sins (Luke 7:47).

In Christ alone our sins are atoned for. We trust in God’s grace and receive that grace through faith.

In Christ alone we rest our case. We collapse in the loving arms of God our Father forgiven.

Action Step: Give up worrying about your sins and rest in God’s forgiveness. Jesus paid it all.

This is God’s Word for you today,
Pastor Dave