This morning I walked in beautiful sunshine along the busy mainstreet of  Kaitaia, when I saw a car to my right with ‘Forgiven’ written on the back window in  fancy writing. When the driver of the car left the vehicle and closed the door, I went up to her and mentioned the word “forgiven” on the back window of the car.

We got talking and it was good to hear that she knows that the Lord Jesus Christ has forgiven her sins.

I told her that only recently in  my quiet time I read in a devotional book about forgiveness. ( Charles H. Spurgeon: Morning and Evening)

Spurgeon is writing about Ephesians 1:7 “The forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” and in his opening sentence he says, “Could there be a sweeter word in any language than the word “forgiveness”, when it sounds in a guilty sinner’s ear, like the silver notes of jubilee to the captive Israelite?”

I was wearing the cap with “Jesus is Lord” written on it, but she did not notice it. Only when I told her about it she read what was written on the cap.

I remember one sentence very well from many years ago. It was during our preparation time for the mission field at the German headquarters in Eppstein near Frankfurt. It must have been before Christmas and we had to make Christmas presents. One candidate wrote on the present he made: MY SINS ARE FORGIVEN!

Not long ago our pastor said in his sermon on Sunday morning how glad he is when he is getting out of bed in the morning that  he knows that his sins are forgiven.

I remember also the evangelist Billy Graham saying in his sermon that the people need to hear about forgiveness from the pulpits.

I know First John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” off by heart and say the words quite often to myself.

And we know when we have done things we should not have done and when we have thought things we should not have thought.

It is good to say then: “Lord, I ask your forgiveness, Lord, forgive me.”