For as high as the heavens are above the earth, SO GREAT IS HIS LOVE for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west , so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12 (Selah, pause and consider that!)
HOW READILY AND HOW FULLY God forgives our sins when we turn back to Him. Repentance is all about turning from our way and our direction and returning to His way.
Two of my favourite Bible stories are about GOD’S CHOICE in the lives of two women who weren’t even Jews, Rahab and Ruth.
I think of Rahab and her family as a prime example of the mercy of God, rescued at ‘one minute to midnight’, just before disaster strikes the city of Jericho. Rahab was listed as an inn keeper/prostitute, the last person many would have considered worthy of rescue, BUT GOD DID! Only Rahab and her family left Jericho alive. Rahab is mentioned in Hebrews 11:31, the chapter on the ‘Heroes of the Faith’ and also in James 2:25 for her acts of Faith.
Ruth the Moabitess, followed her mother-in-law Naomi all the way back to Bethlehem. She wouldn’t leave her, even though the future was so uncertain, no prospects, but she was determined to go with Naomi. To leave her own people and be with the people of God;
Where are you go I will go and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and YOUR GOD MY GOD. Where are you die I will die and there I will be buried. Ruth 1:16
It’s not just that they were examples for us to follow, which they were, but God grafted them into the line of Messiah! They were fully accepted and blessed by God;
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was RAHAB, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was RUTH, Obed the father of Jesse and Jesse the father of King David. Matt 1:5
I’ve been listening to a series of talks by the late David Pawson, on Simon Peter, entitled ‘The Reed and the Rock’. Simon means ‘reed’ and Cephas or Peter means ‘rock’. Peter was one of the three disciples closest to Jesus for the three years of His Ministry in Israel. Peter swore he would never desert Jesus, as did the other disciples, but Jesus told Peter, ‘before the cock crows, (daybreak) you will deny me three times’. The seriousness of what Peter had done, can be seen in Mark 16:7, when the angel/man from Heaven said, ‘but go, tell His disciples AND PETER!’ Peter was no longer one of the Lord’s disciples at this point, Jesus had to reinstate Peter three times, John 21 to undo his betrayal. Peter was to be the leader and spokesman for the early Church in Jerusalem. Sometimes, one with a high calling has to endure the greatest breaking in life(no further confidence in self) before they can step into all God has for them.
All three of these people suffered great loss and humbling, but all were granted full restoration and high position in the purposes of God. God wants this for you and I, we may have fallen but He has a plan and a place for us to step into today, don’t delay. He loves us greatly.
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