But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. (Nehemiah 9:17, ESV)
You’ve got them. Probably lots of them throughout your house, in the closet, the corner of the garage, or behind the house in the storage shed. If you’re an avid golfer, you’ve got them. Unused or no longer wanted golf clubs!
You bought that putter thinking it was the answer, but turned out, not so much. The driver that picked up 20 yards of distance in the simulator doesn’t do the same on the course. Iron sets. Wedges. More drivers. More putters.
Consider donating those clubs to organizations that repurpose them, such as First Tee or your local junior golf program. We have an organization called Golf Clubs For Kids that provides golf clubs to first-time middle and high school students interested in trying the sport but who lack the means to purchase clubs. We’ve outfitted almost 50 students so far.
Recently, a vintage PING L8 carry bag was donated. It was THE carry bag back in the day. But this bag had a major issue. The bottom was busted and unrepairable. We couldn’t use it and had to throw it out. What was once highly sought after and new ended up unsalvageable.
Have you ever felt unrepairable? Littered with bad decisions, your sin took you farther than you ever wanted to go. You’ve self-branded yourself as broken, hopeless, and worthless. You may have even convinced yourself you are beyond His reach, beyond repair.
In Nehemiah 9, the people of God gathered to worship Him, to confess their sin, and to acknowledge all He had done for them and their ancestors. They also acknowledged the sins of their forefathers.
“…they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their necks and did not obey your commandments. They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck.” Nehemiah 9:16-17
They had forgotten how good the Lord had been to them and disregarded His commands. Their heart’s desire was to satisfy their flesh (see Romans 8:5). They also had major issues.
But the people who had gathered continued in their call to God and professed the greatest biblical truth in all of Scripture.
“But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.” Nehemiah 9:17
Despite Israel’s sin against the Holy God, He forgave them. No matter what your sin issues are, no matter how long ago it has been, and no matter that you think you deserve to be tossed to the trash heap, God is ready to forgive you. He will be gracious and merciful to you. With no anger toward you, His love is abundant and unchanging for you.
The Bible teaches that to receive His forgiveness, you must confess your sin to Him (Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9). Acknowledging your sin is against Him (Psalm 51:4). Then, you must repent, by turning away from your sin and turning to Christ (Acts 3:19). Abandon that life and those choices. Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be declared righteous (Romans 10:9-11) in the eyes of God (Philippians 3:9).
Prayer: God, I have sinned against you. Be merciful to me, a sinner, and forgive me. I turn to Christ, knowing you alone can repair my relationship with you. Amen