Wednesday Reading: Luke 15:20-24
Key Verse: Luke 15:22
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring the best robe and put it on him. And put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.
Devotion:
We often think that we have been so bad or naughty that we do not deserve forgiveness and yet these are the word that Christ Himself spoke to show us just how much He is willing and able to forgive us. The parable of the rich man and his sons is one that shows that forgiveness not only comes from the heart but that it should be total. When we say that we are going to forgive someone we try our best to do so but we never quite make it because we always seem to hold a grudge or remember things that have happened in the past.
God, on the other hand, demonstrates that He is willing to forgive right from the moment that we show that we are willing to repent. That very act of coming to Him and asking for His forgiveness for the things that we have done wrong is the trigger for our being forgiven. We do not have to go through all manner of things to be able to be forgiven nor should we have to go through much punishment or to have our sins forgiven. He is willing to forgive us when we show in our hearts that we are ready to ask for that forgiveness.
The rich man's son was still a way off when the rich man was willing to forgive and forget. The rich man put everything behind him as if it had not been done in the first place; he was willing to lift the son up to his level by giving him the best clothes and the best food and comfort. Christ wants to be able to give us His best when we are willing to see what we have done. It is not that we have to go through what He went through on the cross, nor should we have to pay for eternity; He wants to forgive us 100%! He wants us to know that and to come to Him with an open heart. We may be able to fool all of the world all of the time but we can never fool our God. Open your heart to God today.
Points to Ponder:
How much do you remember about things done against you?
Are you willing to admit what you have done against God?
