READ: PSALM 103:11-13; ISAIAH 57:14-21; EPHESIANS 2:13

Isaiah spoke what later became Isaiah 57:15 to the Israelites when they were held captive by the Babylonians. Before Isaiah spoke these words, God had warned the Israelites many times that He would not tolerate their lack of repentance and would punish them, but they continued to worship idols. So, God fulfilled His word and allowed the king of Babylon to capture them.

The Israelites probably felt like there was no hope for them while they were in captivity. After all, they had repeatedly ignored God’s warnings. Surely there was no way God could forgive them now. But when they heard Isaiah’s message of forgiveness from God, it would’ve squashed that thought process. God said to His people, “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite” (Isaiah 57:15).

God acknowledges the people’s sin and doesn’t sugarcoat His wrath against that sin. But He also assures them that forgiveness and peace are available as well—that though He lives in heaven, He also dwells with those who are humble and contrite. The Israelites were not doomed to be cast out of God’s presence forever. They were given a way to come back to Him.

This message isn’t just for the Israelites. It’s for us too. We all mess up and ignore God’s warnings to turn away from sin and repent. When we finally realize what we’ve been doing, we may wonder if there’s any way we can have fellowship with God again. And the Bible shows us that yes, we absolutely can! Because of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection, we can be forgiven for our sins. God loves us, and once we put our trust in Jesus, all our sins are forgiven—past, present, and future. God sees our sinful ways, but He will guide us in the right path. He only asks that we repent and turn away from our sin and back toward Him.

Sin doesn’t have to separate us from God forever. He extends forgiveness, grace, and healing. He promises to remove our sin and give us His righteousness. We don’t need to live under the burden of sin anymore. We can walk in freedom with Jesus. • Morgan A. Mitchell

• Have you ever felt like you could never be forgiven? That is a lie from the pit of hell. Satan loves to convince us that we are unforgivable, and it’s easy to fall for his lies. But whenever we’re tempted to believe the lies, Jesus wants us to talk to Him about it. Do you have any favorite Scriptures that remind you of the truth? Who in your life can remind you of Jesus’s forgiveness?

“I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners.” Isaiah 57:18 (NIV)