You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. (Psalm 86:5)

After the sin of the Golden Calf, Moses went before God once again to receive the commandments of the Lord. During this exchange, the Creator described Himself as being, “merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin (Exodus 34:6-7). In other words, because He is good — in fact, the very essence of good (tov) — He is always ready to forgive anyone who is willing to turn from their sins.

Frankly, God is good even to those who continue in their wickedness in that He allows them a space of time to consider their ways. If His justice was swift and immediate, honestly, there wouldn’t be a human race today. But because He is good, He is long suffering and compassionate; He gives us grace during the times of life when we are rebellious and, like the father in the parable of the Prodigal, He runs to meet us when He sees that our hearts are contrite and broken. Because He is good, to those who are repentant, He receives them as sons and daughters. 

Ordinarily, if a man asks someone he has offended for forgiveness, that person may forgive them but will have a hard time forgetting the offense. Consequently, the victim will have the tendency to avoid the person that injured them — in other words, the relationship continues to be strained. Not so with the Almighty; His forgiveness is beyond what most of us can comprehend. Not only does He forgive us, He erases our sin as if it never happened; furthermore, He showers us with goodness and favor.

So, understanding that we can’t be as God in so many ways, He has challenged us to emulate Him when it comes to forgiveness. He calls upon us to forgive others just as He has forgiven us. I realize that, in some cases, it is easier said than done, however, as servants of the Most High, this is the high standard we are called to. Strive to forgive — and then forget.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

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