Cloudy Skies
We live near the ocean and some mornings the marine layer is heavy. Cloudy skies, overcast, and Everything grey. Many times people look at this and think, this is what it’s going to be like all day? But something happens a little while later you see the sun starting to peek through. And that sunburns off those clouds and what is left is a bright beautiful a clear blue skies. As the day goes on you forget about the dark cloudy sky and all you see is the beauty before you.
Isaiah 44.21-22 NLT
“Pay attention, O Jacob,
for you are my servant, O Israel.
I, the Lord, made you, and I will not forget you.
I have swept away your sins like a cloud.
I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist.
Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.”
The Cloud is Gone
– So it is with our sins before the Lord.
When we confess our sins, He forgives us completely.
Psalms says don’t forget his benefits, who forgives all your iniquities.
If you look up “all” in the Greek or Hebrew is still means “all”.
He does not forgive by merely covering up; He obliterates our sins forever. Something that is obliterated disappears completely. Nothing remains.
And what disappears, God also forgets.
Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins?
When the accuser reminds us of past sins, we too often agree with him and fall under condemnation. We turn to God and remind Him of our past sin. Sometimes we ask for forgiveness hundreds of times for the same sin. We ask for forgiveness every time the devil brings up something from the past. But when we go to God, He responds by saying: “I don’t know what you are talking about. I forgave you the first time, and I no longer remember your sins.”
There are things I did in my past that I do not bring up anymore. I say “Father, if you forgot them, I’m going to remind you.”
2COR 5.17 Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold all things become new.
God sees us through Christ.
When God looks at you, He sees Jesus in you
- He loves you as He loves Jesus.
- Your mistakes are covered, obliterated and forgotten.
- God sees the righteousness of Jesus in you.
- He sees Jesus life and the presence of the Spirit of God.
- He rejoices over you with shouts of joy.
- He loves you and wants you to love Him more than everything else and to love your neighbor as yourself.
- Do not reject or condemn yourself for sins that have already been blotted out.
ROM 8.1 NLT So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power[a] of the life-giving Spirit has freed you[b] from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature.
A new day has come so rise above the clouds watch them disappear and allow the sun to shine on you.
Break out from condemnation, rejection, and low level living. Rise above the clouds to all Christ has for you.
Be blessed, Jim