“In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace  which He lavished on us.” Ephesians 1:7-8

John Hopkins Medicine says, “Forgiveness: Your Health Depends on It”. It says, “the good news: Studies have found that the act of forgiveness can reap huge rewards for your health, lowering the risk of heart attack; improving cholesterol levels and sleep; and reducing pain, blood pressure, and levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. And research points to an increase in the forgiveness-health connection as you age.” (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/forgiveness-your-health-depends-on-it).

Beloved, all people need forgiveness, and God knows this truth. This is the reason why Jesus commanded the Gospel of forgiveness must be preached to all everywhere in the world, regardless of color, race, language, gender, and social status.  Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. All people are born sinners. There is nothing you can do about it. When we lie, cheat, lust, fight, act selfishly, insult, hurt, and many other ways we do sin and break the law of God. Since we all are sinners, we are unable to stand in front of a holy and awesome God. Our sin nature separates us from God and results in eternal separation from the loving God. This is why each one of us needs forgiveness from God for our sins and mistakes. We need to get assurance from God that we are forgiven and clean, don’t we? Bible declares this in Romans 3:24-25, although all are sinners in one way or another, “yet God, in His grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins, for God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.” NLT.

Take time to read the truth of the above verse again. May those words sink deep into your heart! Without God’s intervention and help, you would be lost forever from his loving presence. When you close your eyes on death, you will not experience the love and care of God, apart from God’s grace. You would be lost forever in a place where there is no presence of God but only darkness, judgment, and consequences of sins. However, aren’t you glad the loving God intervened? Thanks and praise to Him!

Bible says, when we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. You see most people would not be willing to die for an upright person. But someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially useful for them. However, do you know, God showed his great love for us by sending His Son, Christ to die for us while we were still sinners? Now we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ. He will certainly no doubt will save us from God’s coming judgment and condemnation. (Refer Romans 5:6-9).

Beloved, what you really need is what God offers you. You need God’s forgiveness. God opened the way for your forgiveness in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the savior of the whole world. Dear one, you would not get forgiveness from any other person or place in this world. There is no one out there who paid fully for your sins and shortcomings by the blood. Only Jesus Christ did it. He paid for your sins and mistakes by his divine and sinless blood. He died in your place for your sins. He was buried. He rose again declaring victory over sin and death. He is the only who can offer forgiveness.

Beloved, may I ask you to think- how many times you messed up your life in the past? If you are an honest person, you would undoubtedly say many times. However, each time didn’t God forgive you when looked to him for help? I can testify to you the loving Lord forgave me innumerable times. Without his forgiveness, I would not have been here talking to you through these daily and weekly insights. He lavished his forgiveness on me. Today’s Bible insight says, “ In Him (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.” You see in Jesus Christ; God lavished his forgiveness on you according to the riches of His grace. Have you received the lavished forgiveness of God from Jesus Christ? If not yet, you can receive God’s forgiveness right now by a small prayer with me. Just hang with me a few more seconds. I will let you pray after me.

One other point- Beloved, it is much easier to forgive and show kindness to others when you really understand the depth and greatness of forgiveness/kindness you received from Jesus. However, you can still keep a Pharisee mindset if you want to be, although our Lord hates it. However, I do not want to be like a Pharisee. Do you? Sadly, some Christians and even a few denominations became Pharisaical these last days looking down on people and falsely anticipating somehow they are better than others. Alternatively, God is raising up grace-focused congregations in recent years all over the world for the testimony of his wonderful forgiveness and grace. They have experienced the blessings of the Lord in their ministries and many are drawn to Christ. However, the people who are still deceived by their wrong notions may read the Gospels and see Jesus in action. I hope you would be more forgiving, compassionate, kind-hearted, and loving in the days to come thinking how much you received from the Lord although you were unworthy. (Matthew 18:23-35).

Like John Hopkins Medicine says, “Forgiveness: your health depends on it.” Desmond Tutu, an Anglican Bishop, theologian and Nobel Prize winner said this, “Without forgiveness, there’s no future.”

I would say your health and future destiny hangs on forgiveness and the true source of it is Jesus on the cross with your sins on his body.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I admit I am born in sin, and there is nothing I can do about my sinful nature. I need Jesus Christ and God’s forgiveness. I pray to Jesus to save me now. I repent of my sins and call upon your name. Come to my life and bless me with your forgiveness. Lord help me not to develop a Pharisee mindset. May I always remember how much you forgave and showed your kindness to me? Forgive my wrong attitude. when you extend your life, may I be a channel of your love, forgiveness, care, compassion, grace, and mercy to people. I want to be your hands and feet in this world. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”