Pastor's Blog

Does God look at us with a constant frown?

Posted on June 2, 2010 by Pastor Tom

There are certain people that can make life suddenly uncomfortable. These include the boss walking into a work area where there have been performance issues; a policeman hidden behind a telephone pole with a radar gun; a principal checking up on an unruly class; or a parent inquiring about the activities of a rebellious child. Did you notice that most of these folks have frowns on their faces when they’re on the look out?

They might have good reason to have frowns or look suspicious given the past history of the people they’re watching. I have often wondered how God looks at me. Given all He knows about me, I’d think He’d naturally have a constant frown on His face. After all, I’ve blown it many times.

And God knows all of our sins through our whole lives! How can He not look at us with a constant frown? Joni Eareckson has some deep thoughts on this in today’s reading. I hope they encourage you and maybe change your perspective about how God looks at you today.

God’s Clean Slate

I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake,
and remembers your sins no more.

—Isaiah 43:25

Every parent knows that sinking feeling when their kid blows it. They do what you told them not to do, they lie to you, or they get in trouble at school. You hope it was all a passing nightmare but the deed’s been done and it won’t go away.

At least that’s how it feels at the time. But have you ever noticed when grandparents get together with the family and reminisce about what life was like? An amazing transformation takes place. The children who once were described as little devils are now angels. The brothers and sisters who fought like cats and dogs are remembered as puppies and kittens. They never talked back to mom and they always obeyed dad. Such romanticizing by the grandparents elicits either guffaws or silent rolling of the eyes. How could they forget? they wonder about their parents.

Is it senility? Or were the transgressions not worth remembering? Neither. I think parents forget because their love can’t retain those sins for very long. Our love hasn’t enough strength to hold on to that which is grievous.

God’s paternal love has a weak memory as well. He tells us that he blots out our transgressions and forgets them on purpose. Why? “For my own sake,” he says. Rather than our sin being an impersonal infraction of his cosmic order, it is deeply personal. It strikes at the core of his relationship with his creation, his image bearers. It is grievous.

So grievous was our sin that God sought an effective and eternal eradication. No sentimental, romantic senility would do. No divine dementia. Only his Son could blot out the trespass forever. Only Jesus could serve as the “forsaken one” so that we might be embraced as the “sins-forgotten ones.” For God’s sake.

• * * *

Lord, grant me as bad a memory about my sin as you have. Cleanse me today of the sins I confess and then help me reminisce with your same joy.

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