Your Next Move Matters More

Guilt over past mistakes has a habit of clouding our judgment in moving forward. Many a life has been ruined through unredeemed guilt. Sound familiar? Ludwig Tessnow was a German carpenter convicted of murdering two young boys in 1901. Earlier, in 1898, two similar murders had occurred, but although a strong suspect, he escaped justice due to a lack of evidence. Tessnow lived under deep internal torment, becoming increasingly isolated and erratic. Haunted by guilt but too ashamed to confess the initial murders, he tried to bury his past in secrecy and denial. When forensic science caught up with him, his role in the second set of murders in 1901 was exposed. But Tessnow never sought redemption, and his regret never led to repentance—only despair. There you have it: the soul-crushing weight of unredeemed guilt. But here's what God said to His people, Israel, through the Prophet: Isaiah 1:18 I, the LORD, am the one speaking to you. Come, let's discuss this. Even if your sins are as dark as red dye, that stain can be removed and you will be as pure as wool that is as white as snow. That captures the very heart of the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ: God's grace through Jesus' death on that Cross to pay the price His justice demands for our sin, redeems our past and empowers us to move forward. He doesn't ignore our sin. No, through His mercy in Christ, when we ask for God's forgiveness through Jesus, He forgives us completely, once and for all. So, will you ask? Because your next move matters way more than your last mistake. That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.