We Are Forgiven!

The hot winds we experienced this weekend have sucked the moisture out of every living thing. I'm hoping we get rains to replenish the soil and plants. It definitely feels like summer!  

Sometimes I feel like the life is being sucked out of me. Usually that means I am harboring a sin. Satan wants us to remember that sin and he keeps bringing it up in our minds so we feel defeated, inadequate, despised, ashamed and worthless. 

Most of my life I felt like I wasn't good enough to be loved by God. I was too tall in junior high. My teeth were too crooked. I was the only one in my family who wasn't musical. I couldn't live up to expectations. Even when I confessed my sin and pleaded for forgiveness as an adult, I could not or would not accept the grace that God gave me.

Author Laura L. Smith says it best in her book, "Restore my Soul": "The enemy wants to shame us into thinking we won't be forgiven, we won't be loved, people will think the worst of us, our lives will be over. Lie. Lie. Lie. Lie."

David wrote a song to exalt his joy in forgiveness after God forgave him for his sins against Bathsheba and Uriah.

"For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord"-- and you forgave the guilt of my sin, Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." (Psalm 32:4-7 NIV).

Heavenly Father, thank You for hearing our confessions and gifting us forgiveness. Help us to accept that Jesus paid our debt when He went to the cross. Over two thousand years ago Jesus gave up His life so every sin could be washed clean from our life's invoice. It is done already. We praise You for loving us so much that You sent Jesus to save us once and for all from our sins! In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen.