Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale Daily DevotionalSample

El-nasa One of the most important names of God in scripture is El-nasa, or "God-Who-Forgives." It's this name, and specifically the word nasa, that accentuates the fact that God has made an important decision on our behalf. Instead of holding our past faults and failures against us, He has chosen to fully forgive us. There's a powerful picture of God's forgiveness in this small and unassuming Hebrew word, nasa. It essentially combines three different thoughts: to lift something up, to carry something along, and to take something away. We've all experienced the smothering effects of sin. By our words, thoughts, and actions-or perhaps even our lack of action, we sin. The shame it produces hangs over our heart like a wet blanket, suffocating us. That's the eternal existence we were all doomed to experience. But something happened. Our eyes were opened, we heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we extended faith in His direction. And when we did, that heavy burden of sin was lifted up off of us. Why? Because Christ carried our sin to the Cross-on our behalf. And it was there at the Cross where the record of our wrong was utterly removed and taken away. That's the concept contained here in the name El-nasa. It speaks of the forgiveness that flows from our sin being lifted up off of us and carried away by our Sin Bearer, Jesus Christ. El-nasa...it's impossible to imagine a more powerful name to describe what our Lord has done in order to secure our forgiveness. He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself... Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. (Hebrews 9:26-28 NKJV) God's name El-nasa speaks of the forgiveness that flows from our sin being lifted up off of us and carried away by our Sin Bearer, Jesus Christ. Think about it... What does this passage reveal to me about God? What does this passage reveal to me about myself? Based on this, what changes do I need to make? What is my prayer for today?