Forgiveness with Consequences

Num. 14:20-22a  Then the LORD said, “I will pardon them as you have requested.  But as surely as I live, and as surely as the earth is filled with the LORD’s glory, not one of these people will ever enter that land……”

Forgiveness does not eliminate consequences.  The Lord forgives us, but we often have to live with the consequences of our sins.  Sometimes it is short lived, and sometimes it is for life.  We can’t undo what has been already done.  I believe that it is a blessing from God that we can’t.We need to remember the destructive nature of sin so that we don’t repeat it.  We must never forget the harm done by sin, to ourselves and to others.  We must never forget what it was like to be alienated from God.  We must know that we sin against God at our own peril.

I am so thankful that the Lord does forgive.  He is able to forget what we have done when He does forgive us, but we aren’t.  It is for our good that we can’t forget.  He who ignores the pain and harm of sin committed does so at his own peril.  It is often our best protection from repeating the sin.

It is also important for us to note that God forgave His people because Moses prayed on their behalf.  We cannot take the leap and assume that the Lord will forgive everyone we pray for just because we pray for them.  But, when we pray for others it opens the door for God to act on their behalf.  We have an important role to play in the salvation of souls.  The effectual fervent prayers of God’s children on the behalf of lost souls move God to make himself known to them.  The Lord is merciful and gracious, not willing that anyone would die in their sins.  Let us be like Moses and pray fervently for the lost souls who are a part of our lives.