At the end of August, our bank updated its website to a new server.  In the process, our business records for the year disappeared.  Yes, the bank sent letters and emails in advance to announce their new website, but we didn’t realize they were discontinuing their bookkeeping program.

Alas, eight months of business income and expense reports were washed away.  Slowly, week by week, we are recreating those records with new software, hoping we can have it completed error-free by the end of the year for tax purposes. What a lot of extra work the computer age brings us!

A similar delete happened to the prophet Jeremiah, millenniums before modern technology.  In Jeremiah 36 we read how at God’s command, a scribe named Baruch recorded on a scroll all the words God had given to Jeremiah.  This included words back to when Josiah was king.  Now Josiah’s son Jehoiakim reigned.

Jeremiah and Baruch were called to the palace to read the scroll to the king.  As it was winter, a fire was burning nearby. So, the king threw every piece of the scroll into the fire as it was read.  He did not wish to heed the Word of the Lord! Jeremiah and Baruch had to write a new scroll with even more words than the first!  (Jeremiah 36)

Our bank headaches and Jeremiah’s scroll troubles remind me of the greatest delete of all.  There is a joke that says, “Why does Jesus always beat Satan at computer games?” The answer…”Jesus saves.”

That, my friend, is the truth.  The greatest delete in history happened the day Jesus died on the cross.  On that day, my sins, your sins, and the sins of all believers were washed away, never to be rewritten.  Jesus deleted our sins for all time. He saved us.

Today’s TEA CUPP:  How will you respond to such a loving gift? Will you invite Jesus to save you?  My friend, confess your sins to Jesus today, and join with those of us who rejoice over the greatest delete of all!

But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”  Hebrews 10:12-17 (NKJV)

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.