Isaiah 43:25 - Saving dirty dishwater

 

Who in their right mind would save dirty dishwater? Even if you use antimicrobial dish soap, bacteria will rapidly increase--and so will the bad smell.

God said through the prophet Isaiah,
"I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins." (Isaiah 43:25, New American Standard, 1995)

The promise is repeated in the New Testament. (Hebrews 8:12)

Yet how often do we hold on to the memory of past sins?  Why do we do it? Perhaps we equate feeling guilty with feeling repentant. That if we feel even more guilty we will somehow merit bigger forgiveness.

We should indeed remember that we have been forgiven of sins. But God Himself chooses to "not remember" them.

Dwelling on sins that have been forgiven makes as much sense as holding on to dirty dishwater. All it can do is putrefy and get nasty.

We aren't forgiven just for our own benefit. God says He does it, "for My own sake." Why? Because He made us to have fellowship with Him. He delights in removing any barriers to that fellowship.

Thank you, Father, for wiping out the debt of our sins and the guilt of them. Train our hearts and minds to fall in step with Yours--to delight more in renewed fellowship with You than trying to hold on to guilt that's already been flushed down the drain. Amen.