"A God Ready To Pardon"

Nehemiah 9:17

When the Levites, in the days of Nehemiah, offered prayer to God for Israel, after confessing the sins of the nation, said, "But thou art a God ready to pardon." Here is good news for sinners who are ready to perish! The God whom we have offended,against whom we have sin- ned, whose wrath we deserve,is "a God ready to pardon." "Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul; for thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee" (Psa. 86:4-5).

A God ready to pardon is a God prepared to pardon. Everything is prepared by which God can forgive sin. The road used to be blocked up. But Christ has, by the blood of his cross, tunnelled every mountain, filled every valley, bridged every gulf and cleared away every obstacle. Now all things are ready. God, for Christ's sake, is "a God ready to pardon."

A God ready to pardon is a God who can easily pardon. Though he could never pardon sin without the satisfaction of his justice, now that justice has been satisfied by the death of Christ as the sinner's Substitute, God can easily pardon us for Christ's sake. It takes nothing but his word. "Thy sins are forgiven thee!"

A God ready to pardon is a God who quickly par- dons. There is no need for any sinner to wait, even for a moment,for pardon.The pardon of sin is an instantaneous work (I John 1:9). In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, God gives pardon to the believing sinner.

"The moment a sinner believes,

And trusts in his crucified God,

His pardon at once he receives,

Redemption in full through His blood."

A God ready to pardon is a God who cheerfully pardons. Can you grasp this? "He delighteth in mercy!" As God loves a cheerful giver, he is a God who cheerfully pardons guilty sinners for Christ's sake. It is more the nature of God to forgive sin than it is the nature of man to commit sin. His forgiveness is infinite! "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save; he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing" (Zech. 3:17). Can you imagine that? The triune God singing! What a thought! As God pardons sinners he bursts into a song! This is "a God ready to pardon!"

Don Fortner