Lamentations 3: 22,23– “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (NRSV)
When cleaning out a long-forgotten box filled with old books, I came across a copy of Ripley’s Believe it or Not from 1978. As I thumbed through it, I was captivated by a picture of “The Man of Chains” from Lahore, Pakistan.
In the photo, Mohammedan Sahib Allah Shah was dressed in over 670 pounds of chains which he reportedly wore for the last thirteen years of his life, as a penance for his sins. The article told of many similar acts of penance practiced by religious groups around the world.
The Bible tells us that, while we should hate sin and refrain from sinful acts, we can be assured of forgiveness because of the great love and mercy of our Lord. Jesus bore the punishment for our sins when He went to the Cross. Nothing beyond our acceptance of this precious gift from Him is necessary on our part in order to obtain salvation.
No more can the chains of sin bind you and keep you apart from the Father. No more can guilt burden your life. No more need for penance because God’s mercies are new every morning!
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