Pardoned

“Speak tenderly to Jerusalem.
Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned.
Yes, the Lord has punished her twice over for all her sins” Isaiah 40:2 [ emphasis added]

Sometimes, when we maneuver wrongly it gets us into trouble. Sometimes, it is the maneuvers our parents have done on our behalf that have puts us in trouble. If you are in that situation, I believe very strongly that this is God’s Word for you: “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins” Isaiah 40:2 [NIV, emphasis added]. I say to you with all tenderness, your hard service has been paid for.

The HSBC version reads, “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and announce to her that her time of forced labor is over, her iniquity has been pardoned” [emphasis added]. I declare that your time of forced labor is over, in Jesus Name. Be comforted because your sad days are gone. The KJV version reads, “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned…” [emphasis added]. If you are reading this and there are areas in your life that have been a battle, God is saying today the warfare is over.

An orphaned boy had to work on a farm to feed his younger ones. The wage was small but people who worked extra hours got much more. The supervisor got to decide who would work extra hours. The boy’s sister fell ill and he needed to buy her drugs or she would die. With no help in sight, one day the boy stole a chicken and sold it to get money for the drugs. His sister became well and he returned to work. That day the supervisor said, you will work extra hours today but I will collect the pay. The boy tried to argue but the supervisor said, “remember the chicken”. The boy froze. And the supervisor exploited him for days.

When he could no longer take it, he went to meet the owner of the farm and pleaded for mercy. The owner said, “You are forgiven! I saw when you stole the chicken and I see what the supervisor has been doing to you. I was waiting to see when you would get tired of being under forced labor”. The boy finished his day’s work and was about to leave when the supervisor approached him and said, “Remember the chicken”. The boy said, “What chicken?” And he walked away leaving the supervisor speechless.

Thought: You have been pardoned; your days of forced labor are over!

Prayer [song]: Thank You Jesus for the grace that You have given us. We could never repay but from my heart I’d like to say that I Thank You.