for our sins (John 3:16, NLT). And, that is why
we don’t have to look to people but look to
“God which is the author and finisher of our
faith (Hebrews 12:2, NKJV).”
To add and for our learning, let us
take a look in the Bible at another powerful
illustration of God’s unconditional love and
forgiveness towards his people. In the Bible,
we are familiar with the story of David and
Bathsheba. We understand from our reading
that David “set eyes” upon Bathsheba that
was the wife of Uriah. He pursued Bathsheba
and eventually slept with her. As a result, she
became pregnant and he tried to “cover his
tracks” by getting Uriah to sleep with his wife
and when he was unsuccessful, He arranged
to have Uriah killed (II Samuel chapter 11).
David was clearly an adulterer and a murderer. David had “unclean hands” and was
infected by his sins. And, the “wages of his
sin” (Romans 6:23, NLT) was the loss of his
son. Although that was the case, the Lord was
merciful i.e. when David confessed his sin to
Nathan, he replied, “The Lord has forgiven
you, and you won’t die for your sin (II Samuel 12:13, NLT).” I am so thankful for God’s
grace ad mercy towards David as well as all
of us because if he wasn’t we would all be
destroyed.
Another example of God’s love and
mercy towards us “leprous people” was the
story in the Bible of the “Woman Caught in
Adultery” (John chapter 8). As referenced in
the word of God, teachers of religious law
and Pharisees questioned God about what
to do with the woman to try and entrap him.
They kept demanding a response and Jesus
finally replies, “All right, but let the one who
has never sinned throw the first stone!” When
the accusers heard this, they slipped away one
by one, beginning with the oldest, until only
Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with
the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and
said to the woman. Where are your accusers?
Didn’t even one of them condemn you? No,
Lord, she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I.
Go and sin no more.”
Wow, what an awesome God that we
serve! So, it doesn’t matter what mistakes you
have made because Jesus never gives up on
you. People may make you feel like a leper and
tell you their beliefs and opinions but what is
going to matter in the long run is that God has
the last say so! But never underestimate the
effects of sin because “sin is a disease” and is
very contagious very much like leprosy.
In conclusion, hear the totality of it all!
God loves you. God cares about your current condition. God is not like man “For his
thoughts are nothing like our thoughts and his
ways are far beyond anything we can imagine
(Isaiah 55:8, NLT).” Your life is not over and
God is not through with you yet! You may
have had “leprosy” and have been told that
you are “unclean” but you are the perfect
specimen for God to work through and bring
about spiritual transformation and healing in
your life. And, to use your life, your “sin disease” or mistakes you have made to enable
you to be an effective representative for
his kingdom and therefore be a tremendous
blessing and encouragement to others.
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