As far as the east is from the west


I think we can safely say that the dust has settled from the recent election cycle and there seems to be a relative calm politically. It was a wild ride for many of us, right?


So this morning I found out that apparently the word of the year for 2024, at least according to Merriam-Webster, was polarized. This makes a lot of sense to me. Basically polarization is extreme opposites as opposed to middle ground or center.

Fun fact - last year's word was 'authentic.' Hmmm...

In many ways, polarization is not useful or helpful. It has caused damage to a lot of relationships and hampered efficient governance. Yet, I can think of at least one kind of polarization that is good and I'm thankful for it! What kind you may ask? Good question! As Psalm 103 proclaims:

10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

God has removed our sins to the extreme! As far as the east is from the west - that is like infinitely apart! That is good news.

May we pray, "Lord thank you for dealing with my failures in this way. Help me walk in new life following Jesus confident in your mercy, grace, and forgiveness!"

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