Psalm 103:6-16
He gives justice to all who are treated unfairly. He revealed his will and nature to Moses and the people of Israel.
He is merciful and tender toward those who don’t deserve it; he is slow to get angry and full of kindness and love. He never bears a grudge, nor remains angry forever. He has not punished us as we deserve for all our sins, for his mercy toward those who fear and honor him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west. He is like a father to us, tender and sympathetic to those who reverence him. For he knows we are but dust and that our days are few and brief, like grass, like flowers, blown by the wind and gone forever.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Jesus, can You show me just how far the East is from the West?
Cause I can’t bear to see the man I’ve been
Rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
You know just how far the East is from the West
From one scarred hand to the other
“East to West” – Casting Crowns
East to West lyrics © Sony/atv Tree Publishing, Banahama Tunes, My Refuge Music, Word Music, Llc
I don’t remember the exact time or set of circumstances when these verses from Psalm 103 first resonated with me, but I do remember reading them and feeling greatly moved by the thought that our sins are removed as far away from us as the East is from the West. I envisioned myself sitting at the feet of Jesus as He towered somewhere in middle America and literally threw my sins from the Atlantic to the Pacific. They scattered like ashes…never to belong to me again.
This image comes to me every time I hear this song from the group, Casting Crowns. I have noted before that most of my childhood – and early adulthood – was clouded by this foreboding trepidation that I would someday be greatly punished for every “sin” I ever committed. Even as a born-again follower of Jesus, I believed that as I stood before God in Heaven, He would read down the really LONG list of my transgressions and ask me to account for every single one of them. To think that Jesus not only bought and paid for my sins – but actually scattered them to the four winds – was almost more than I could comprehend. But I gladly and fully embrace this gift – and humbly accept it.
There is nothing you or I can do to repay Jesus for His sacrifice and blessings. But we can honor His gift by emulating Him. We can be merciful and tender toward those who don’t deserve it. We can be slow to get angry and full of kindness and love. We can say “No!” to grudges and anger. We can offer grace to others, just as He does. We can be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ on this earth. We can show and tell others that those who love and serve the LORD – and surrender to Him – will have their sins scattered from East to West!
If you have time to listen to this song today, I encourage you to do so. Picture the scarred hands of Jesus Christ scattering your sins to the four winds. Make this the day that you surrender to Him and begin to live in the consolation and joy of knowing that you are redeemed, forgiven, and oh-so-deeply loved forever and ever. In the arms of Jesus, we truly can find rest. Alleluia!
©2022 Debbie Robus
And then, something almost magical happened. Seemingly overnight, trees that were still clinging to their leaves began to change color. We went away on our mini-vacation and returned to a backyard delight of brilliant yellows – and even a few bright tinges of red. We drove to Little Rock to visit Greg’s brother, and the bursts of color delighted and blessed us on an otherwise cloudy and dreary day. And today…with a bank of low-hanging clouds, fog has cleared to reveal a magical sight out our windows. One of our favorite giant oaks that we can see across the river is a brilliant burst of red today. The orange-yellows of other hardwoods are reminding us that God is our ultimate Artist. He alone has the power to bless us with a brilliant fall landscape.
I’ve been “off the grid” for a couple of days. Greg and I took our nephews and niece on a “mini-vacation” to a cabin on the White River near Mountain View, Arkansas, which is located about an hour north of our hometown. The children are out of school all week for the Thanksgiving holidays, and we thought this would be a great time to explore some things together. And…a VRBO cabin we have been waiting to visit was available…the “Reel Life” boat house, which is literally positioned right on the river, just far enough away from the main community to be considered a bit “remote.” (Never mind the train tracks right across the road – and the daily train passages that vibrated the walls and floors of the cabin, delighted the children, and allowed them a chance to flatten some coins laid atop the railway!)
We drove up on Monday in time for a noon tour of Blanchard Caverns. Our 13-year-old Timothy had been there with my mother when he was only six – just before Mother was diagnosed with cancer. The other two had never been to the cave. I wish I could adequately describe their faces and reactions. Nathan was apprehensive as we made the 200-foot descent by elevator. But as soon as the doors opened, his eyes grew wide, and he said, “Debbie, this is AMAZING!! Thank you and Uncle Greg for bringing us here.” And he was in awe throughout the one-hour tour as we observed stalagmites, stalactites, draped “curtain” formations, and more.
Daily Devo Time 