July 11, 2025 Devo

I shared an amazing story last Sunday in my message. A fireworks store owner in Texas had a break-in, and thousands of dollars in merchandise were stolen. He had cameras up around the building that captured a picture of the truck and the license plate used in the theft. But instead of plastering the picture on social media with hate-filled anger directed at the thief, the owner responded with grace and compassion. He stated that someone who does something like this must need help. So he offered for the person to come forward and he would help him. Help him with the money he might need. Help him with a job. He stated that, as a Christ-follower, he had received grace and forgiveness, and so he was offering it as it had been given unto him. It may be one of the most remarkable demonstrations of empathy and grace I’ve ever seen. You can go to Jonathan Cook’s Facebook page and read the story (and the rest of the story) for yourself. Here’s a link: https://www.facebook.com/iamjonathancook
What Jonathan offered to the man who stole is what God offers to us. Unconditional love and forgiveness. Yesterday I shared about the power of confession. But often we’re afraid to confess because of the retaliation we might receive. What if God refuses to listen to us or accept our prayer? What if He rejects us for what we’ve done? What if we truly are as bad or unlovable as we sometimes believe?
But the psalmist reminds us today of just how forgiving and gracious our God is. Look at our verse for today that follows the verses yesterday on confession: “Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me.” God doesn’t ignore us or turn His back on us. He doesn’t reject us or refuse to receive us. He receives our prayer, He accepts our confessions, and He opens His Arms of Love and Grace to us. We can come BOLDLY to God, even with our sin.
Don’t hold back today. Though you may have had people in your past who rejected you, God never will. Though you may have had some who turned their backs on you, God will not. Though some may hold onto your sin and even use it to retaliate against you, God forgives your sin and casts it into His Sea of Forgetfulness. Run to God today. He waits with grace and healing for YOU! That’s God’s Word for you today.