LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, April 16, 2025

God made an offer of forgiveness to the nation of Israel through King Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:13-14  “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 

While the primary application of this well-known and often quoted passage is for the nation of Israel, the fundamental principles of forgiveness that that are expressed apply to each of us today on an individual basis. We all have sinned and fall short of His glory. We are suffering the consequences of that sin. But God has made an offer that says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will forgive their debt of sin.” It’s an incredible offer, but the conditions attached are difficult.

Humility – We must stand guilty before the One who said he would forgive but who could also demand payment. Humility demands agreement with God about our condition and offers no self-defense. Humility relinquishes all rights and surrenders completely to God’s rulings. Humility trusts God’s grace and mercy. Praise God that the payment has already been made in full by Jesus Christ so that God’s justice guarantees forgiveness

Prayer – We must knock on the throne room door knowing that God will open it, we must renounce all human resources by turning in total dependence upon God, believing that He will do what He promised to do.

Seeking God’s face – We must submit to God’s purpose for our lives and become a witness of God’s grace to others by how we live.  

Turn from wicked ways – We must repent of the sin, turning from it with a sincere heart and desire to not do it again.  

When our hearts truly and sincerely reflect these four conditions, God completely forgives our sin. When we approach the throne of God with humble and broken hearts that cry out to Him in repentance of sin and submission to His will, He will forgive us completely and eternally. Hallelujah! 

As King David prays in Psalms 139, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

You can be completely forgiven if you will turn to Jesus today. 

Pastor John