Good Riddance

In our Daily Bread, I read a devotional about Good Riddance Day. A day people celebrate to let go of bad things.  As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12.  In that devotional they quoted the above scripture telling us how far God removes our sins from us when we are forgiven. The amazing thing about this is, it is all sins; past, present and future. To me that is amazing, because of the sins I haven't yet committed are also removed. Christians are not perfect, and I really struggled with my Christianity when I was young because I some how got the idea that I had to be perfect. All have sinned, Romans 3:23.  If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.1 John 1:8 This thing about God's grace that covers all our sins is almost too wonderful to be true, but that is what the Bible tells us. I had another thought as I read that devotion. I had a bad memory years ago that used to haunt me. It was a very embarrassing thing that happened to me when I was 16. I carried that memory for years wishing it would go away like sins. One day in a men's group, a place of safety, we were asked to tell about our worst memory. I told about it. It is like it lost its hold on me. I had another time I had unconfessed sin in my life I couldn't seem to shake it. I went to my pastor and told him about it. It was in the open. It lost its hold on me. We prayed about it together and it freed me from the hold that particular sin had on my life. Christians are not without sin, right now I am dealing with something, I want so to leave behind. A relationship that has been one sided for as many years as I care to remember. I have prayed and prayed about this for years. Phone calls go unanswered and at times I have tried to fix this. I can't fix it, the only one I can fix is myself. I think about all these things as Good Riddance day approaches. It is time to let it go just like the embarrassing moment of fifty years ago. Christians are not perfect, just forgiven. I think of the Christmas Eve service where we had communion, it is also a good time to reflect and ask forgiveness.  I repeat my self, Christians are not perfect, it was only when I thought I had to be perfect that I struggled. God's grace has freed me, I can let go of things and say Good Riddance. Good Riddance to the sins that are removed as far as the East is from the West. Good Riddance to the bad memories that use to haunt me. I think about these things and am so thankful for the grace that God gives, I don't even believe I have to be perfect any more. But I am forgiven of all my sins. That is a good place to be, forgiven. God bless, LVZ.