Ready to Forgive

This morning God showed me something remarkable...again.

I may have already known this fact about Him, but I had pushed it back in my head. 

There are many perceptions about God. We all have them whether we believe and trust in Him or not. 

Some of them may be right, but sometimes, they are wrong. 

I used to have this perception about God that He was like a police officer. Watching my every move, watching where I went, who I was with and what I was doing. 

He was waiting. 

For that perfect little time, that when I broke a law, He could turn on His lights and tackle me to the ground. 

He would arrest me and pour out His wrath and be angry with me for the ways that I had betrayed Him. 

I would say that I'm sorry and promise to do better. 

I would serve my time by reading the Bible to get it done and go to church because I was supposed to. 

Only to serve my time for a little while and then get right back on the streets and do everything again. 

There is one thing right about all of that and that is: He was waiting. 

He is waiting. 

He is waiting and ready to forgive! 

God isn't a police officer. 

He is our Protector and Guidance, but most importantly, He is our Father, if we have chosen to accept His invitation for a relationship. 

God is READY to forgive. 

Please, don't miss that. 

He is READY to forgive us of our sins. 

Think about it, sin is the thing that God hates! 

It puts a barrier between us and Him that is so big that we alone cannot cross it. 

We need Him beside us, guiding us along. 

With sin in the way, that bridge isn't there! 

God is READY to forgive.

He wants to close the gap that sin has created. 

He wants nothing more than to destroy the sin that lies between us and Him. 

Because while that sin is there, our relationship with Him is not growing. 

It is stagnant. 

What good does a stagnant relationship do? It goes nowhere and it has no friends. 

While sin remains between our relationship with God, we aren't able to hear from God, we aren't able to see God working in our lives. 

He doesn't want this! 

Nothing more does He want than for us to accept the gift of salvation that He has given to us. 

He sent His Son, His SON, to die on a cross! 

For me and for you. 

Can you imagine sending your child to die an excruciating death? 

God did that through His son Jesus! 

All so that we may believe and have salvation.

Why are we waiting to repent? Why are we waiting for something "amazing" or "divine" to happen? 

Friend, when you repent of your sin to God, when you fall at His feet, when you accept His offer of eternal life, there is nothing more divine or amazing. 

When you accept and receive His offering, you are made new. 

Because before, we were dead. 

But in Christ, we are made alive and new! 

What is more divine or amazing that being brought back from the dead!!??

There is only One, who can do these things. 

His name is Jesus Christ. 

He was sent to this earth to die for you and for me.

He was obedient to His death on the Cross so that one day, if we choose to believe, we could live with Him in Heaven for eternity. 

He is waiting and He is ready.

Will you keep Him waiting? 

Or will you run with arms wide open to Him?

To the One who gave it all. 

He is waiting and He is ready. 

"...but You are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love..." -- Nehemiah 9:17