Do you ever find yourself hung up on your past?  We all have one. Pasts littered with poor choices, bad decisions, and regrets.  It is part of navigating life in this world.

BUT…

We all have an invitation to the cross, which levels the playing field and puts everyone on equal footing – regardless of our pasts and how ugly they might be.  We all have an invitation to receive forgiveness.

David, shepherd boy who killed the giant Goliath, grew up to become one of the most well-known kings of Israel.  His reign as a monarch was far from perfect, though.  Adultery, murder, lies, and scandal were all a part of David’s life choices.

That said, David also understood the loving, gracious, and incredible forgiveness of God better than most. 

Psalm 103, written by David, depicts this in a perfectly raw and genuine way.  While I would highly recommend blocking off time to read the whole Psalm, I simply want to highlight vs. 12 right now:

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

There, in one simple statement, is the heart of God.  Conditional on receiving the sacrificial gift of His Son – the One who traded His life for ours – God makes it abundantly clear what He does with our pasts and our sins:  He casts them as far as the east is from the west.

The east and the west, when viewed on a compass dial or a map, clearly go in opposite directions, never to meet.

When we become Christ-followers, this truth is immediately applied to us.  Our sins – all the skeletons in our closets and shadows that have dogged us – are forgiven by God and remembered no more!  Praise God!!

The question for us is – if God isn’t dwelling on our pasts, then why are we?

If the enemy has had you chasing your tail and keeps throwing your past in your face, remind him that the only One Who has permission to “cast” anything in your life is God and He HAS cast (thrown, removed) your sins FAR from you…as far as the east is from the west.

Until next time, Grace and Glory!