In a few hours the Academy Awards Program will decide who is the “best of the best” in entertainment this year. It is said it is going to be a show of “firsts.” But one thing is happening that isn’t and in fact didn’t fare so well the last time they did it; there will be no host this year. Why is that?
Well, Kevin Hart was the academy’s first pick as host. But no sooner had the announcement been made, thanks to the internet, Kevin Hart was trolled over a past mistake and promptly withdrew from the job. After witnessing the public shaming of Kevin Hart, no one is likely in a hurry to take his place and share the same fate.
We have been taught from childhood, everyone makes mistakes! Yet some are determined to rub people’s face in them, rather than look at the growth that has happened in a person’s life. Maybe it makes them feel better, as if they are free from having ever erred. If so, they couldn’t be more wrong.
God’s word says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Rom. 3:23 It doesn’t matter what the mistake/ sin is. Sin is sin, that’s it, and we all have to deal wth it.
So, we know, many of those of the world like to hold our mistakes over us. But God… that’s another story. And that is the story we are going to think about today!
One of my favorite scriptures is 1John 1:9 It says, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” That means that when we make a mistake and confess it to God, He forgives us! Mind you, not because we deserve forgiveness, but because in Christ God has revealed to us His mercy! Forgiveness is never forgiveness without Jesus Christ. “According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Heb 9:22
In Christ, God’s mercy and goodness overflow towards us. “We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” Eph. 1: 7-8
God’s grace is so great that His word says this of our sins once we trust in Jesus alone for forgiveness; “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12 Do you know how far the east is from the west? Its so far that the two can never meet! That is what God has done in Christ for us!
So not only does Yahweh not “rub our faces” in our mistakes, He completely removes them! Our sins/mistakes are gone, never to be seen or heard from again, unless we ourselves refuse to let them go…
We do that sometimes, don’t we? I think we can accept the forgiveness of God and even forgive ourselves because He does, and still have regrets. But regret can work to help teach us what NOT to do. They always say hindsight is 20/20. That is true! But learn and move forward!
Jesus came that you may have life and have it more abundantly! God’s word says, “A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” John 10:10
Jesus didn’t sacrifice His life so that you and I would stay stuck in sin as the world would have us do! Jesus came to free us to live and love God, others and ourselves in His name and for His glory!
So this year, and every year there is only One that was, and is, and is to come, truly the Best of the best and that is the Lord, Yahweh!
Thank you, God, for the forgiveness you have given us through Your Son Jesus Christ and for the gift of Your Holy spirit that lives in us. You are truly the God of second, third and fourth…etc. chances.
As the song goes, “Your love never ends, it never gives up, it never runs out on me…”
In Christ we are all winners!
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