Forgiverence

In November, 2001 I flew home from college for Thanksgiving break, and on that flight home, I learned a spiritual lesson. I boarded the plane in Tampa, heading for New York City when we got delayed and had to circle in a holding pattern for a few minutes. This holding pattern literally lasted about 10 minutes, but what happened lasted ten years so far. As we were circling above NYC, we were able to see some of the destruction of what used to be the World Trade Center. Everyone on the plane had been laughing and smiling and talking to one another about their destinations, and how much football they were going to see on Thanksgiving day. All of a sudden the pilot announced that if we looked out the left side of the plane we could briefly see what used to be there. 

Silence fell over the plane. People held their breath and had a range of emotion rushing through their body. A feeling of patriotism coursed through our veins as we beheld in awe what had happened there merely two months prior. That was pure awe. It was reverence for that scene that silenced everyone on the plane. It was a moment that has been etched in my mind as strongly as the moment I heard about the towers falling. That moment changed a part of me. 

That was awe. All of us on that 747 experienced what the Bible tells us is how we relate to God. 

We have many reasons to stand in awe of God - He is everything we are not, and that causes us to revere Him and stand in awe - He is perfectly holy, He is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, omnitemporal. He exists everywhere at once, and holds the world in motion. He directs mankind and draws all men to Himself. He provides salvation and eternal life to anyone who asks in faith. In comparison to me, I can, tie my shoes by myself seems to be the best thing I can come up with!

However, this morning, I found another reason to stand in awe, and this one is a shocker. This one is a game changer. 

Psalm 130:3-4 says “If you, O Lord, keep a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared. 

What we have here is the understanding that God does not keep a record of all our forgiven shortcomings and forgiven sins. In His omniscience, He certainly could, but there's a conscious decision not to. 

Forgiveness is at the forefront of our heavenly Father’s thinking. The power of pardon is permanent with God, and He is ready to forgive in an instant. So go to God with guilt, and leave it with Him, because He saves and forgives to the uttermost.
 

Even more, forgiven sin is even more reason to fear God. Because you have experienced His redeeming love, there is immense reverence and awe for Him because He does not rain down judgment. God’s grace leads us to have such a holy regard for Him that we fear grieving Him with continued sin. Forgiveness leads to reverence: forgiverence.

God has every right to destroy us and leave nothing but a pair of smoking shoes where we used to be, but He forgives us, not keeping a running total of those forgiven sins of the past. Think on that today, and be most grateful! Experience forgiverance today!