Contemplative Bible Reading

Romans 4:6-8 (New Living Translation)

6 David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:

7 “Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sins are put out of sight.
8 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”

God clears our record of sin. This is so simple; at the same time it is beyond my understanding. Sin is abhorrent to God. Yet he wipes all my sins. My record is perfectly clean. How can He do that? Why would he do that for me?

Oh, and there is this other little item that I must consider: God wipes clean the sins of that fellow sitting over there across the room. Maybe God would cleanse me, but that guy? Doesn’t God understand what that guy does?

So, am I supposed to treat that guy like his sins are cleansed. Can’t I hold him in a little lower position than myself? Can’t I act like God cleansed most of his sins, but left a few behind so that I am better than that guy sitting over there across the room?

God, thank you for cleansing my sins. Help me to be overjoyed. And help me to treat everyone else like you have treated me.