God made [us] alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. —Colossians 2:13–14
I know just enough about computers to be dangerous. One thing I’ve learned the hard way is the meaning of the button labeled “d-e-l.” Delete!
And what happens when you press the delete button? Whatever you’ve done is gone.
I think that’s a great picture of forgiveness. When we choose to forgive, we’re really saying, “I am choosing to press the delete button. I’m releasing the offender from the offense.”
In the time when the apostle Paul lived, if somebody owed you money, you would write a certificate against him—an IOU. The image Paul uses in the verses above is that we owed God an unpayable debt for violating His law. But when Jesus died on the cross, He canceled that IOU and forgave us all our sin. He pressed the “delete” button.
Have you made that tough choice to press the delete button? You’ll find that through the process of offering forgiveness to someone else, you will be set free as well.
Make it Personal
Spend time thanking God for that day at Calvary when He pressed the delete button and extended forgiveness for all your sins.