For His Name’s Sake

Help us, God our Savior,

   for the glory of your name;

deliver us and forgive our sins

   for your name’s sake.

- Psalm 79:9, A Psalm of Asaph

This verse captures my heart because it is an amazing and humble reminder of how much I do not deserve God’s grace (receiving something I do not deserve) and mercy (not receiving something I do deserve).

I am forgiven because of who God is and what He did for me, and not because of anything I have done on my own.

The Apostle Paul makes God’s character abundantly clear when he writes to young Timothy:

if we are faithless,

   he remains faithful,

   for he cannot disown himself.    

- 2 Timothy 2:13

It is for this reason that God forgives us even when we do not deserve it, for even when we are faithless, He cannot deny Himself. He delivers and forgives us of our sin for HIS Name’s sake. He helps us for the glory of HIS name.

Why does God forgive us? One reason and one reason only: Because of His great love for us, which continually amazes me.

The Apostle Paul again writes, this time to the church in Rome:

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

- Romans 5:8

This truth gives me a great deal of peace, for it says to me that regardless of how much and how often I let God down, His forgiveness is real.  Even when I am faithless, He cannot be faithless, for it would be in opposition to His character. For Him to be unfaithful would make Him no longer God.

And while some may view this as license to sin even more, for me, it does exactly the opposite. When I think about how great God loves me, I can’t help but strive to be the best version of God’s creation I can be.

I want to become more like Him, not to earn His love, but out of a deep gratitude for who He is and what He has done for me.

Thus, I pray, and invite you to pray with me…

Father, thank you for forgiving me even though I am not worthy of You or Your forgiveness. Thank You for loving me so much that You sent Your Only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross that I am forgiven of my sin and invited into a personal relationship with You. Help me, through the power of Your Holy Spirit in me, to live my life in a way that brings glory and honor to Your Great Name.

In the powerful and matchless name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!

Pastor Ken

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