Pardon and Forgiveness

Pardon and Forgiveness, November 24
Author: Charles H. Spurgeon From the book: Faith's Checkbook

"He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger forever." - Psalm 103:9

HE will chide sometimes, or He would not be a wise Father for such poor erring children as we are. His chiding is very painful to those who are true, because they feel how sadly they deserve it, and how wrong it is on their part to grieve Him. We know what this chiding means, and we bow before the Lord, mourning that we should cause Him to be angry with us.

But what a comfort we find in these lines! "Not always" will He chide. If we repent and turn to Him with hearts broken for sin and broken from sin, He will smile upon us at once. It is no pleasure to Him to turn a frowning face toward those whom He loves with all His heart: it is His joy that our joy should be full.

Come, let us seek His face. There is no reason for despair, nor even for despondency. Let us love a chiding God, and before long we shall sing: "Thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me." Begone, ye dark forebodings, ye ravens of the soul! Come in, ye humble hopes and grateful memories, ye doves of the heart! He who pardoned us long ago as a judge, will again forgive us as a father, and we shall rejoice in His sweet, unchanging love.

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I remember hearing a sermon by C.J. Mahaney regarding the scream of the damned that Christ screamed for us while on the cross. Everything became very real that night, when I began to dwell on the fact that an all perfect God died the death I deserved. The only righteous person to have ever walked the face of the earth, died in my place, took my sin upon Him, felt the FULL unadulterated wrath of God and bore it in my stead. Understanding that broke my heart into a million pieces. How grateful it is for the Lord to chide me, because I know that He loves me and does it with Love. I also know that the more that happens, the more I can praise Him and know that I will be growing and the process of sanctification is underway. Praise the Lord for His chiding and His love. Grace&Peace.