I Will Not Remember Your Sins – What She Said #15 – Week 4, Day 3

TODAY'S TREASURE

I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and I will not remember your sins.

Isaiah 43:25 ESV

Transcript

What She Said #15

I Will Not Remember Your Sins

Guest Writer, Lauri A. Hogle

Today’s Treasure

I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and I will not remember your sins.

Isaiah 43:25 ESV

Within our Abba Father’s glorious love story written for His people, His “eternal covenant” promises are now fulfilled in Jesus Christ through the “new covenant” in His blood. He’s made the old covenant obsolete through the sinless obedience of Jesus, His atoning death in our place, and His victorious resurrection.

We know the gospel intellectually, don’t we? But, as I suffer with permanent losses from my incurable and disabling brainstem herniation and ongoing pain, I can easily read old covenant words in the Old Testament and emotionally spiral. 

The deceiver tempts us to fear that God is punishing us when we suffer. We feel like we aren’t doing enough good works, aren’t pleasing Him. I’ve spent many years unable to “do” anything, becoming afraid that it all must have to do with my sin, how our accuser tempts us to forget the gospel.

Not what my hands have done 
can save my guilty soul;
not what my toiling flesh has borne 
can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do 
can give me peace with God;
not all my prayers and sighs and tears 
can bear my awful load.

Is suffering His punishment? No! “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” We do fall short of God’s standard of perfect righteousness. So, “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.” 

Thy work alone, O Christ, 
can ease this weight of sin;
thy blood alone, O Lamb of God, 
can give me peace within.

Now, our Lord has graciously given us sure promises as those who trust in Christ alone for salvation, for we do believe! This is our obedience, having turned to Him in repentance and belief. No matter what suffering we may endure in our earthly lives, all His promises are true for us. Those old covenant promises to us are now fulfilled in our union with Christ Jesus!

I bless the Christ of God; 
I rest on love divine;
and with unfaltering lip and heart, 
I call this Savior mine.

Asking God to help us believe the gospel when we’re afraid

It’s harder to endure ongoing suffering when we forget the gospel. We become afraid of our Abba Father instead of turning to Him as His fully loved and wholly forgiven child. But, into our tears and fears, we can ask Him to help us remember that it’s by His gracious gift of faith that we can even trust Him; it’s never been anything in ourselves. All our mess means we still need the gracious help of His indwelling Spirit to re-believe His gospel promises. 

Thy grace alone, O God, 
to me can pardon speak;
thy power alone, O Son of God, 
can this sore bondage break.

I’m constantly asking our promise-keeping God to guard my emotions and thoughts as I suffer. I’m asking Him to deliver me from the evil one. I’m asking Him to help me remember that I only have His promises in Christ, through Christ, because of Christ, and with Christ, my beloved risen and reigning Savior.

LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT

Singing the gospel when we’re afraid becomes a humbling awe and an overwhelming gratitude to our precious Lord of love. It’s true…“Perfect love casts out fear.” It transforms our suffering into worship! 

I praise the God of grace; 
I trust his truth and might.
he calls me his, I call him mine, 
my God, my joy, my light.
'Tis he who saveth me, 
and freely pardon gives;
I love because he loveth me, 
I live because he lives.

PRAYER

Abba Father, every time I read Your old covenant words, remind me of what is now true for me because I’m united with Jesus. Holy Spirit, point me to Jesus, singing the gospel when I’m afraid. To the praise of Your “glorious grace” to me, in the Beloved! In the powerful name of Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, my Lord and Savior, amen!

This devotion is adapted from Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering: A Devotional Bible Study Prayer Journal.

(1) “Not What My Hands Have Done,” Bonar, H., 1864