I Can Begin Again!

We had a theme this week – and that theme was redemption! We are in a fallen world, we have feet of clay, we live and move as human beings doing the best we can – and sometimes even with the best of intentions – we blow it! Our God and Father knew from the beginning of creation that this would happen and made provision, even before we were born – for our every day – the good ones and the not so good ones. This is perhaps the greatest part of the redemption story and the most difficult for most of us to grasp – that there is forgiveness in God even though we don’t deserve it. And more than forgiveness, with God there is forgetfulness!

Scripture resounds with the mercy and grace of God and yet none quite as beautiful as the promise we find in Psalm 103:6-12(MSG):

6-12 God makes everything come out right;
he puts victims back on their feet.
He showed Moses how he went about his work,
opened up his plans to all Israel.
God is sheer mercy and grace;
not easily angered, he’s rich in love.
He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold,
nor hold grudges forever.
He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve,
nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.
As high as heaven is over the earth,
so strong is his love to those who fear him.
And as far as sunrise is from sunset,
he has separated us from our sins.

Not only does God forgive us, He forgets the stuff we do – how dare we remember! How dare we hold on to those things that God has already forgotten! I woke up hearing the words of a song I love by Larnelle Harris, “I Can Begin Again!” Look at these words:

I can begin again
With the passion of a child
My heart has caught a vision
Of a life that’s still worthwhile

I can reach out again
Far beyond what I have done
Like a dreamer who’s awakened
To a life that’s yet to come
For new beginnings are not just for the young

Praise God from whom all blessings Flow! We are covered! From eternity past to eternity present God’s love has provided for us the marvelous gift of redemption and restoration – it is such a wonderful gift – don’t you think everybody ought to know about it?

God Bless You,
Maria