1 John 1:8-9 (NLT) - “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”

Matthew 6:14-15 (Message) - “In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.”

“Now God was opening my eyes to a new and better strategy - seeking reconciliation. I could not bring justice for other people. As a Christian, my responsibility was to seek to be reconciled. Then out of that reconciliation, justice would flow.

“Affirmative action, integration, and so might be useful, but they alone were not justice. Real justice would never be achieved by passing laws or going to court. ‘Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice for man comes from the Lord’ (Prov. 29:26). True justice could come only as people’s hearts were made right with God and God’s love motivated them to be reconciled to each other.

“Now that God had enabled me to forgive the many whites who had wronged me, I found myself able to truly love them. I wanted to return good for evil. In my own life God had cleansed away bitterness and hatred and replaced it with love. If He could do that in my life, He could do it in other people too - whether black or white” (John M. Perkins, With Justice For All, p.111).

1 John 1:9 says that if we get real with our sin to God, God is faithful and just to forgive us and change us. We all need forgiveness, even the most broken among us. God in His mercy and tender love is so willing to welcome us back and walk with us through this. He always wants things to be right and vibrant with Him and with one another. “Come back to God” in the depths of His forgiveness.

These next 24 hours, let forgiveness be central to your heart and relationship with the Lord and His people. Ponder the depths of God’s forgiving love for you, search your heart for the unresolved anger and bitterness from past hurts or disappointments. Ask the Holy Spirit to search out the pride, prejudice, and preferences that have slipped under the radar or become so tightly weaved into our lives that we can’t recognize it. And ask the Lord for His mercy and forgiveness. Reconciling love is on the move; let us be touched by God’s forgiveness so we can move with this wonderful message of reconciling love.  Holy Spirit come and accomplish this deep and much needed work of forgiveness and new beginnings in us!

-TR