Forgiven Forever

“I will put my law within them, on their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. … They shall all know me …,” declares the Eternal, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jeremiah 31:33–34

One of the benefits of being forgiven is knowing God; not just knowing about God, but being so in tune with him that we resonate with everything that tugs his heart strings. However, if God remembered our sin, so that every time we came into his presence we repulsed him, we could not have any intimate knowledge of him. We would not experience the One who said, “The fullness of the earth is my glory.” But God forgives because his overarching purpose is to experience the joy of sharing the glory of his goodness with his creatures — forever. To have this joy he stops holding our sin against us. He casts it infinitely far away. Therefore we would be wise to come to him eagerly with repentant hearts. We should be diligent to have Jesus lift our guilt from our backs and place it on his. Then we should take advantage of the intimacy his forgiveness provides and enjoy our peace with God.

What a comfort it is, O Lord, to know that you are not repulsed by me; even more, that you now delight to have me in your presence. Grant me the joy of knowing you better and better. Amen.