Offenses Are Swept Away

March 11

Jesus is everything to us. He is all we need. In I Corinthians 1:30, the Apostle Paul says of Him, “…He has become for us wisdom from God—our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.” That covers everything of significance that we lack within ourselves. The things we cannot be, because of our sin nature, Jesus has become for us.

Paul says to the believers in Colossae, “God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption through the forgiveness of our sins.” As the chorus we sing in church states so beautifully, “Amazing love, how can it be, that You my King would die for me?”

Jeremiah stated the hope for that matchless redemption in Lamentations 3:57-58 when he said, “You came near when I called You and You said, ‘Do not fear.’ O Lord, You took up my case; You redeemed my life.” What we can see plainly accomplished by Christ in the gospels, Jeremiah could only envision through faith—but his faith was established and the God whose words he faithfully penned brought His promise to pass.

In Isaiah 44:22, the promise is stated another way, but with the same powerful impact, with the same assurance of hope, “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud; your sins, like the morning mist. Return to Me for I have redeemed you, says the Lord.” Our God has woven the promise of His salvation throughout the scriptures. He doesn’t want us to miss it. He wants us to recognize our Savior and embrace Him.