4. I am thankful for FORGIVENESS from God (and others)

I'll do my best to keep this post "short in righteousness" (and there are certain readers that I can already hear laughing out loud).

Every day of my life, I am aware of God's forgiveness in my life. I am acutely aware that I would have NO HOPE now or in eternity if God were not a "forgiving God." Thousands of years ago, King David said, "Bless the Lord...who forgives your iniquities..." God forgives.

Jesus said, explaining the Father's love to a group of disciples that just were not "getting it" yet, that the person who is forgiven little loves little (in return). He who is forgiven much (that would be me) loves much. If we still have breath in our bodies, and we know the LORD JESUS as our Savior, we are in the "forgiven much" category. Every single one of us.

Only Biblical Christianity offers humanity the opportunity and blessing of "forgiveness". On the Cross, our LORD's request to His Father was "Forgive them, they don't know what they are doing." I could write many, many pages on how God's forgiveness has changed my life.

I'm also thankful for the forgiveness extended to me by others. I am a less-than perfect person (in case any of you were wondering). I have committed wrongs (both intentionally and accidentally) against others...and for these wrongs I am profoundly penitent. And it has been the "forgiveness" extended by others that continues to show me the "forgiveness of God" which saves my life. Again, Jesus is brought into the picture. His words were very, very clear: "If you do not forgive others, don't expect God to forgive you." It's pretty hard to scramble the meaning of such a straightforward declaration.

Every day I remember the words (born at The Moody Church, by the way), "Pardon for sin, and a peace that endureth..."

Yes, I am thankful for the forgiveness of God. And I am thankful for the forgiveness of others who share this common humanity with me.