Daily Word of Grace # 193 (December 10, 2020)
In his 1990 book The Ragamuffin Gospel the late preacher and writer Brennan Manning tells a story about a Catholic woman who had been having visions of Jesus. The local bishop was skeptical, and decided to meet with her. “Is it true, ma’am, that you have visions of Jesus?” he asked. She responded, “Yes.” The bishop continued, “Well, the next time you have a vision, I want you to ask Jesus to tell you the sins that I confessed in my last confession.” Ten days later the two of them met again, and the bishop asked, “Did you do what I asked?” “Yes, bishop, I asked Jesus to tell me the sins you confessed in your last confession.” The nervous bishop asked, “What did Jesus say?” She gently took his hand and replied, “Bishop, these are His exact words: ‘I can’t remember’” (118-119). That is what God’s forgiveness looks like. Scripture assures us God’s forgiveness is total, complete, and forever. God puts it this way, “I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12), or as the Old Testament prophet Micah wrote, “You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19). When it comes to remembering your sins, neither you nor anyone else has the last word. The last word belongs to Jesus, who chooses not to remember them.
Love and Prayers,
Dave