God Keeps No Record!
Scripture Reading — Psalm 130
If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? Psalm 130:3
Several years ago a troubled married couple came to talk. They came prepared: both had brought a yellow pad on which they had carefully kept a record of what the other person had done wrong. They took turns reading their grievances out loud. Whether written on paper or etched in our memories, our lists of wrongdoings show how well we can keep score of other people's faults and sins!
Let's thank God that he does not keep a record. God could fill one yellow pad after another with our sins, toss them in our faces, and refuse to have anything more to do with us. If he did, according to Psalm 130:3, we would not stand a chance.
But instead there is forgiveness, or, in the words of Romans 8:1, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
In fact, according to Jeremiah 31:34, God says, "I ... will remember [your] sins no more." This is God's way of saying that he won't hold our sins against us, he won't act toward us on the basis of our sin. God has pushed the delete button on our guilt.
God does not cast us off. He continues to give his grace in spite of our failures. That's the reason God can continue to use us to share with others the grace we have received through all generations.
Lord, thank you for not keeping a record of our sins. Thank you for the assurance that because of Jesus you will never hold our sins against us. In his name we pray. Amen.
About the author — Arthur J. Schoonveld
Rev. Art Schoonveld is a retired minister in the Christian Reformed Church. Before retiring in 2001, he served churches in California, Illinois, and Michigan. Since his retirement he has worked part-time for the denomination and has served as an interim pastor. Art and his wife, Anita, have four children and nine grandchildren.
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