As I have pondered the past sixty-one years of my ministry, I was just thinking about how good God has been good to Karen and me. While I have not been a perfect servant, He has always proven to be a perfect Father who teaches, loves, forgives, and yes, even chooses to forget.
Almost every pastor has revealed a Bible character with whom he most identifies. By far the majority of us identify with the apostle Peter. And usually, that is not in a good way, but we identify with his humanity — he was prone to make mistakes while maturing as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I think that men and women believers in the Lord’s churches see our shortcomings. Some, of course, will criticize, but most will pray for their pastors. Friends, that is of utmost importance. There are no perfect pastors, church members or families. Sadly, when frustrated we tend to forget that truth.
Lessons from a King
In our era there are so many who wrestle with the truth about God’s forgiveness. Even though they have confessed their sins, placed trust in Christ, followed the Lord in baptism, people have difficulty believing that God truly forgives their sins. We can learn some lessons from King David. As a man whom God described as “after His own heart,” the king continually had to face his shortcomings — his sins — time after time.
David wrote, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your compassion blot out my transgressions” (Psalm 51:1 NIV1984). The KJV uses the term “tender mercies” instead of compassion. The fact is that David had sinned with Bathsheba and due to his repentant heart, God showed him His heart of compassion — His tender mercies.
Here is another fact, God does not bless a rebellious heart. This goes against His holy nature. But when sinners repent, the Heavenly Father is more than willing to look into their hearts and show them His forgiving love and mercy.
A Lesson from a Prophet
A sinful king received compassion, but Jeremiah the prophet, said that because of God’s plan of salvation there is not only forgiveness from God, but forgetfulness as well. “No longer will a man teach his neighbor or a man his brother saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34.)
When I am asked if I believe God truly forgives our sins, I always point them to that verse. It says more than most could ever expect. The compassion of God is incomparable — he remembers our sins no more. Some may say, “But that is Old Testament, and it refers to the Jews. Well, the apostle Paul in speaking about the New Covenant and its High Priest, quoted that very verse in Hebrews 8:12.
A Lesson from the Savior
In the New Testament we read multiple times about the compassion of Jesus Christ. One that comes to mind is in Gospel of Matthew: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt. 9:36).
I am reminded of a song that has been sung for decades. It speaks volumes in its simple verses. The chorus says, “No one ever cared for me like Jesus; there’s no other friend so kind as he; no one else could take the sin and darkness from me — O how much he cared for me.” (Lyrics by Charles Weigle.)
