While reading Hebrews for my morning devo the other day, this verse hit me again, but in a new way. Hebrews 8:12, "For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more."
How great is that! But think on this. God said he would not only forgive but said He would remember our sins no more! I remember all the bad stuff I'd like to forget. All right, wrap your minds around this:
Think of something that you would rather forget, whether it's a sin, attitude, event, or even a person. Now--go, try to forget it! Try once more. What you can't? Neither can I. (I usually forget the things I need to remember.) But God, can do it whenever He choses. The Greek context of "remember" is a one time action, a completed finished act. So when our gracious, merciful God says He won't remember, it is GONE, erased, removed, hit the delete permanently key--never even in His mind.
So how does Satan get to us? By bringing them back up. Don't listen to his lies. Once we confess to God, He forgets and we have no shame before Him. I feel God leaves us with these memories as a "tutor" to remind us of incoming spiritual danger, for our finite minds couldn't forget and at the same time retain the lesson learned. I'm in awe of a God who forgets my bad "stuff."
No Shame, No Blame,
Thank You, Lord