East and West Can Never Meet

He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.

─ Psalm 103:10-12 NLT

Candace looked at her new friend, Pam. “Well, you didn’t say much during our putt-putt game,” she smiled.

“I didn’t really have a lot to say,” Pam admitted. “If I’m honest, I felt a little awkward listening to your college friends talk about the person you used to be. You’re not that person anymore.”

“Yes, my friends like to talk about old times when we get together. My past is colorful, and I’m not proud of a lot of those stories they tell. When my friends tell stories about me like that, I feel like I’m reliving sins God’s already forgiven,” Candace admitted. “I’m not that person anymore.”

The words from Psalm 103:12, He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west, illustrates God’s forgiveness. East and west can never meet. When He forgives you, He not only removes your sin, but he separates it so far from you, that He doesn’t remember it, even when you bring it up.

If we are to follow God, we are to model His forgiveness. When we forgive one another, we must forgive and forget the sin. So many times people say, “I’ll forgive, but I won’t forget.” That is not a reflection of the love of God. If we hold on to the hurt, we’ve not truly forgiven.” The same is true about forgiving ourselves.

Today’s One Thing

Think deeply today about this concept of your sins being removed as far as the east is from the west. What picture does that bring to your mind? Does it change how you feel about your past and how you see it? What about the hurt done to you by others? Can you truly see their sins removed as well? What adjustments do you need to make because of this verse today?

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