Because 50 Day 32
Scripture Reading: Psalm 103:8-12
8The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Today’s Prayer:
God, help me let your forgiveness shape how I forgive others.
Going Deeper:
The psalms were the worship songs of the people of God in the Old Testament. When they gathered in the temple or in the synagogues, they would sing these songs that were laced with powerful theological truths. What do you learn about God from this part of Psalm 103? What do you learn about his character through the psalmists lyrics? What do you learn about his actions in the psalm?
When it comes to forgiveness, we often react to people based on how we’ve been hurt or harmed. We are unable to trust and may keep them at a distance. Notice though that this is not how God acts. “[He] does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” How does this example challenge the way that you treat others?
Often we think of forgiveness, we process it in abstract without thinking through specifics. Today though I want to challenge you to think of someone in your life that you need to forgive. It could be as simple as the co-worker that has frustrated you, the person who cut you off in traffic or a family member that has wronged you. How can you demonstrate forgiveness to them fueled by the good news that God has forgiven you?