“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.” Romans 4:7-8
During election season, political candidates begin to pop out of the wood work. In a recent presidential primary, there were well over twenty candidates all vying for their party’s nomination for President. Most often these candidates come with their own specific platform. Whether it’s health care, raising the minimum wage, border security, foreign affairs, or any other plethora of ideas, most candidates will have a primary platform on which they choose to run.
In 2 Chronicles 6, Solomon built a large platform in the center of the courtyard of the magnificent, newly built temple. It was on this platform, in front of the people of Israel, that Solomon prayed to the God of Israel, and what he prayed for was forgiveness. Maybe Solomon knew in the back of his mind that, more than likely, those very Israelites would wander and even turn away from their Heavenly Father. Solomon prayed that if in their moment of recognizing their departure and turning back towards God by praying toward Jerusalem and toward that very Temple, that God would hear from Heaven and heal the land. And, after the fire fell down from Heaven and consumed the sacred offerings and sacrifices, that’s exactly what God told Solomon He would do.
Now, according to the Apostle Paul, we who receive Jesus into our lives have been more than temporarily forgiven until our next mistake or sin, but instead, after the order of Abraham, we have been made righteous. Solomon’s own father, David, saw this day that would come and wrote prophetically concerning the joy for those who would be recipients of such grace and mercy from God.
This, my friend, has always been God’s platform. It is and has been a platform of forgiveness, love ,and mercy that our Heavenly Father has always operated on, and even more so for you and me, all because of the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Today, renew your heart and mind on the greatness of this free gift of God and let your heart sing His praises like the Israelites that day, “He is good! His faithful love endures forever!”