Love Rescues

Valentines from God Series – February 2019

Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean! —Micah 7:19 NLT

Ray and I were out for a bike ride on an early summer evening when we decided to try an intriguing little path. It seemed to be a shortcut over to the next road we wished to take. But … as we neared the path, a gigantic cloud of horseflies was swarming the entrance, and they definitely noticed us. Ow! Yikes! We turned. We pedaled furiously. Eventually, the pesky flies gave up and all was well again. Whew!

Sin can be like those horseflies. Persistent, buzzing around us. Landing on us and biting and biting again. Makes my skin crawl just thinking about it. You know what God does? He tramples sin under His feet. Bam. Dead. And then, for good measure, He throws it into the depths of the ocean. Gone. Done. Freed. Rescued.

Oh, how thankful I am for God’s strong compassion for us and His ability and willingness to forgive our sin—and rid us of the guilt and shame that want to keep sticking to us. When we confess our sins and ask for His forgiveness and cleansing, God really forgives and really cleanses. He makes us whole again and removes the cloud. Gone. Done. Freed. Rescued.

Do you know what we do sometimes? As Corrie Ten Boom puts it, we go fishing. Yup. We wade into that ocean and go looking for that sin, either to indulge in it again or to beat ourselves up with the memory of the awful things we’ve done. When we go “fishing” for forgiven sin … we sin again. Romans 8:1 assures us that “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (NKJV). Once we are forgiven … we are forgiven. Gone. Done. Freed. Rescued.

Oh, friend. Let’s believe it and live it. Let’s bring our sins to Him and ask Him to trample on them and drown them in the depths of the sea. And then let’s turn away in relief and walk away from our sin and toward the One who can help us stay pure. In fact, just like Ray and I on our bikes, let’s “pedal furiously” toward our Rescuer, who alone makes us clean and innocent all over again. Daily. Hourly. Any time.

Father, thank You for the strong imagery here of Your power over sin and guilt and shame. How I praise You that You turn with compassion to Your wayward children and save us. Help us to believe the truth that our sins are forgiven. You tell us they are gone—and they are. Help us to live in the freedom that brings. In Jesus’ Mighty Name, Amen.

You are loved,
Sharon

Sweet Selah Ministries

Vision
To encourage a movement away from the belief that “busy is better”
and toward the truth that stillness and knowing God matter most—
and will be reflected in more effective work and service

Mission 
To offer resources and retreats that help women pause (Selah)
and love God more deeply as they know Him more intimately (Sweet)

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