Scripture 

I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,  

   and I will not remember your sins. (Isaiah 43:25, ESV) 

Thought 

Who is the one who blots out our transgressions? God is the one. Jesus is the means. The Holy Spirit is the power. Isaiah tells us that God the Father blots out our transgressions for his own sake. Often, we think God wipes out our sins for our sake—that God removes our sin so that we can be forgiven. That is simply not the whole truth. The full truth is that God does away with sin through Jesus for his own sake and for our sake.  

God doesn’t just blot out our transgressions. He also chooses not to remember our sins any more. I love this about God! He doesn’t define me by my sin. He defines me by what his Son has done for me. As for us, it’s usually easy for us to remember our sins. Instead, let’s begin to remember what Jesus did for us to remove our sins. 

Application 

Think about your most recent conflict. Were your attitudes Christ-like? For instance, did you blot out someone else’s sin or highlight it? What I mean by “highlighting” is replaying in your mind another person’s sin against you. Or did you begin to take charge of your thoughts and remind yourself that Jesus died for that sin, that offense, that hurt, or that pain?  

Prayer 

Lord, help me to not hold onto things. Help me to turn my thoughts toward forgiveness and reconciliation. I don’t want to keep highlighting my hurts and the pain that others have caused me. Help me instead to remind myself how much you have forgiven me. Therefore, I can forgive others…. (Continue praying.)