Yes you saw it right!

Devotion by Reena Thomas

Psalms 130: 3-4 -If You LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who would stand? But there is forgiveness with You that You may be feared.

The one word which had the maximum impact on me accepting Jesus was ‘forgiveness’. I grew up in Chennai and I have heard people preach and share the gospel tract. Nothing really changed me. When the gospel was presented to me like it should be, I was stuck by this concept of 'forgiveness'. The faith I grew in taught me nothing about 'it'. Instead heaven was a place reserved for people with good deeds. In today’s world, it is usually believed that 'forgiveness' will make you weak and the other person may take your act for granted.

But the above verse says that His forgiveness brings us into fear (in Him). This can be compared to a scene from the infamous movie Gladiator where after the defeat of the soldier, the crowd wants him dead. But the Gladiator spares his life. In the Roman Empire, in those days’, people hardly come across such things like forgiveness or mercy. The crowd, filled with awe, responds saying ‘Maximus, the merciful!’ making him an instant hero. Similarly, we who deserve death are forgiven by a merciful God so that we fear Him.

But even now I struggle with forgiveness, more so when I come across certain horrendous crimes in the news that is hard to digest. I keep asking God 'Why don’t you punish them right away?' or 'Will You forgive this harsh sin if they repent?’ He would simply answer, 'That’s my job!' a decent way of saying 'Mind your business'.

God’s forgiveness was perfectly displayed at the cross. Jesus died less because of the crucifixion wounds, more because of God’s wrath. When we come to the knowledge of the depth of His forgiveness, it’s easy for us to forgive others. He makes all things perfect in His time.