Our reading today is 2 Samuel 20-24, which will complete that book. I’m calling today’s episode “Forgiven and Forgotten.”

Chapter 22 is David’s wonderful song of praise to God, whom he had served his entire life.

As David wrote this, he included the highs and the lows from his life. How God had delivered him from his enemies, and how he was blessed. He gave praise for who God is and how incomparable He is. He acknowledged that God was his source of…everything.

Did any particular part stand out to you? The section from verses 21 to 25 certainly did to me.

21You are good to me, Lord, because I do right, and you reward me because I am innocent. 22I do what you want and never turn to do evil. 23I keep your laws in mind and never turn away from your teachings. 24I obey you completely and guard against sin. 25You have been good to me because I do right; you have rewarded me for being innocent by your standards.

2 Samuel 21-25 CEV

Wait, what? David was not blameless, was he? He was an adulterer, a schemer, a murderer. How could he say he was innocent?

Because God had forgiven him. In 2 Samuel 12:13, Nathan the prophet told David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.” Beloved, When God forgives, He forgets. He no longer holds it against you. It is as if it never happened. David wrote in Psalm 103:12, “12As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

Beloved, David put his faith in God, and he trusted God’s mercy, and he was called the friend of God. 

So what does that mean for us? It means that when we remember our sins, it is only in our memory, not God’s, if we are in Christ. If you have confessed your sins to God and if you have trusted Jesus as your savior, you can join David in this song and say, “You reward me because I am innocent.” 

Beloved, I can guarantee that that is the best news you will hear all day!

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 20-22 CEV, Ch. 23-24 NCV

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