As Far As the East is From the West

Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.“

Psalm 103 is a beautiful picture of God’s love, grace, forgiveness and long suffering, written by David in his later years when he probably had a greater sense of how rich the free pardon of sin was, as well as a better understanding of the cost of sin than he had in his younger years.   David, a man after God’s own heart, was also a murderer and an adulterer.  David paid a high price for his sin, yet looking back over his life, he sees the goodness of God, the forgiveness of God.  As he comes to the realization that God has removed his transgressions as far as the east is from the west, David says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”

At a point in my life when I’ve been down the road a little further, and I’ve been around a little longer, I’ve seen the cost of sin in my own life.  In many ways, I feel like the Apostle Paul when he said he was “chiefest of sinners.”  Paul was a murderer, a blasphemer, a persecutor of the church, yet after finding God’s amazing grace, Paul said in Philippians 3:13, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind . . .” Paul was determined not to let his past hinder his present.  Why?  Because Paul knew that God had removed his transgressions as far as the east is from the west!

It amazes me how we sing songs about God’s forgiveness, and His goodness, and His grace.  We see people come to the altar and ask God to forgive them of the sins, old things have passed away and behold all things have become new.  God has taken their transgressions and removed them as far as the east is from the west.  And what do we do?  We clothe ourselves in self-righteousness and point our judgmental fingers at them and say things like:  “They’re no good – They’ll never make it,” “God might forgive them, but I never will,” or “God might forget their sins, but I sure won’t.”  I think it would be a good day for the Church of the Living God when helping people get from where they are to the place God wants them to be was something we did rather than something we said.

Lord Jesus, thank you for removing my transgressions and taking them as far as the east is from the west.  Help me to be like Paul and forget those things that are behind me and help me to reach for those things that are before me.  Lord help me forget the past, live in the present and look forward to the future.  Help me to remember that I am no better than anyone else.  Help me to love people and to help people.  It’s in Your name I pray.  Amen.