“But thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness” (Nehemiah 9:17b, ASV).

The Old Testament tells us about God. We read of the time God punished sinners right away, and those instances may lead us to believe that God was stern and unmerciful before Christ came. But that was not the case. God was a God of grace even in the Old Testament.

God could have destroyed Adam and Eve after they ate of the forbidden fruit, but they lived hundreds of years. The heroes of the Old Testament all sinned, and even though they suffered for their sins, God forgave them. He kept taking His people back time after time. God calls Himself the “father of Israel” (Jeremiah 31:9), a father who pities his children (Psalm 103:13).

Our Father has always been merciful, but even more so to us. We all know John 3:16, but have we internalized it and made it our own? Do we truly believe it? Or are we still praying for forgiveness for the sins we committed weeks, months, or years ago? After we sin, do we do good things so God will forgive us? If either of these cases is true, then Christ died in vain. Nothing we can do can make God forgive us of our sins.

Jesus has already paid the price for our sins. There are no words in English or any language to describe what our Lord did for us. We are beggars for mercy, but we don’t have to plead for grace. God gave it to us freely in the gift of His Son, who died for us. All we have to do is accept His love and obey Him.

Hymn: “Grace Greater Than Our Sin”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to believe that Jesus died for our sins. May we rely on His sacrifice to make us pure in Your sight. In His name we pray. Amen.

Donna Wittlif is the author of Christian fiction for young adults and adults. Her new book Finding Her Heart is about a young woman who is heartbreakingly lonely. Is it because she has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome? See how God helps her find true love. www.donnarwittlif.com