Forgiven

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Friday morning, Good Friday morning, it is the 7th of April, 2023, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.  

We start off in Isaiah 53, and I am reading 2 verses, verse 3 and verse 12:

“He is despised and rejected by men, 
A Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.”

Verse 12:

“And He bore the sin of many, 
And made intercession for the transgressors.”

Then we go to Luke 23:34: 

“Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

One of the greatest sins in the Bible is the sin of unbelief. Now Romans 8:1 says, 

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,…”

Maybe today you have made an honest mistake and you just cannot forgive yourself for what you did. You are carrying a millstone around your neck and it is wearying you down. It is robbing you of your joy and your peace. Well, Jesus says to you and me, very clearly today in 1 John 1:9 that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just (qualified) to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Oh, my dear friend, if Jesus could forgive His disciple, Peter, for denying Him three times, He can forgive you and He can forgive me. If Jesus could forgive Paul who was Saul of Tarsus, a murderer, who was seeking to kill Jesus’ followers, Jesus can forgive you and me today. If you are asking the question, “What do we need to do?” Well, we need to repent. We need to say, “Sorry Lord, please forgive me and I will never do it again.” I would like to pray a prayer of confession with you right now if you would like to pray after me:

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank you for dying for me, a sinner, on the Cross of Calvary.  
Today I repent of all my sin and I ask you to be my Lord and my Saviour.  
I will follow no other gods but You. 
I believe that I am forgiven and Lord, I am grateful, very thankful.  
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

That is where the beautiful hymn, “Amazing Grace” came from. A slave ship captain, John Newton, wrote that when he realised that Jesus had washed away all his sins. Spend time today, quietly, in meditation, in contemplation and thanksgiving for the wonderful gift that the Lord has given to you and me.

Jesus bless you and goodbye.