Saturday, January 26, 2013

By: Gwen Hitt

 

Bury YOUR Hatchet

 

1 John 1:9  "But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness."

 

Do you think that you would be able to COMPLETELY forgive your young child for spilling milk on your sparkling clean floor? Your initial reaction may be aggravation, but I am sure forgiveness would soon follow.  I would also venture to say that you would quickly forget about the entire incident.

 

Today's scripture assures us that God is not only willing to forgive our confessed sins, but He entirely erases them. In fact, Psalm 103:12 tells us that "as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." Just imagine deleting the files in your email trash folder. Once you do this, all of these files are gone. There is no evidence of them. The same principle is at work when God forgives us.

 

Although God so easily forgives us, many Christians find it difficult to forgive themselves.  Why is that? Why do we feel that there is a need to beat ourselves up a little OR even a lot before offering ourselves the FORGIVENESS that God has already granted? Just as the mother would never have an unforgiving heart over something as minor as spilt milk, God declares that He will forgive OUR sins and totally remove them. Now, when He says OUR sins, notice that there is no reference to whether the sin is minor or major.

 

The saying, "Bury the Hatchet", originated from the practice of BURYING the tomahawk at the end of hostilities by Native Americans.  This act signified their willingness to make peace with their enemies.

 

Have you ever heard that we are often our own greatest enemy? My challenge to you today is to bury YOUR hatchet - make peace with YOURSELF.  We have God's pledge that His peace is available to us.  Romans 5:1 promises: "Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace." In actuality, He has already BURIED YOUR HATCHET. Your job is to keep it buried and to REST IN HIS PEACE! 

 

Dear Lord, Thank You for Your unconditional love-a love that keeps no record of wrongdoing.  Please forgive me for my sins. I thank You that through You, I am set free. Help me to keep my hatchet buried in order for me to not only forgive myself as You have BUT to also love myself as You do.

 

I thank You Jesus for dying for me. I believe that You are Lord and that God raised You from the grave so that I can have eternal life. In the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen