"Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of His inheritance? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot" (Micah 7:18-19).
What a comfort to know that God is a forgiving God!
If He held on to all the sins that I have committed against Him, there would be no chance for me.
Look at the other attributes listed here that have to do with God's forgiveness:
He does not retain His anger forever. He lets go of the anger. He withdraws His wrath.
He delights in steadfast love. He enjoys pouring out His mercy on us.
He will again have compassion on us. Though it did not seem like it at the time, Micah was anticipating God's compassion being seen again.
He will tread our iniquities underfoot. What a picture of how God sees our sins - just as dirt on the ground. He's not holding them against us. He's not looking through the list of our sins when He looks at us.
But wait, there's more!
Paul writes to the Ephesians: "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake, has forgiven you" (4:32).
We are not only to take great joy and comfort in the forgiveness that God gives to us. We are also to forgive others just like God has forgiven us.
We must pardon those who sin against us.
We must choose not to be angry at those who have trampled on our lives.
We must delight in steadfast love, loving those who are unloving toward us.
We must have compassion on those who have not been compassionate toward us.
We must consider their sins against us as dirt on the ground, choosing to look at them as Christ looks at them.
Not because they deserve it. We don't deserve God's forgiveness either.
Not because it will restore a relationship. God is ready to forgive even those who are not interested in Him.
But because that's the way God is.
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