Our finite minds do not work like God’s infinite mind does. I believe in general – human beings – have a difficult time forgiving someone that wrongs them let alone forgetting that ‘wrong’. But, when God says as far “as the East is from the West” He means forever removed! East and West never meet. As one Bible reference stated, “If we were to search for the sins the Lord has removed from us, we would never find them, because Jesus, the Lamb of God, has taken them far away (John 1:29) from those who come to Him in faith (John 3:16–18). To say that God separates our sins “as far as the east is from the west” speaks of the absolute, irrevocable measure by which God forgives us”( BibleRef.com). So, while yesterday’s passage impressed upon us how shame is associated with sin – this passage brings great hope to anyone who has ever sinned – which Romans 3:23 says is all of us.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Romans 3:23

The hope comes in the fact that God’s forgiveness is absolute. The next part of David’s statement sheds light on the reason for the action of removing the sins so drastically – His tenderhearted, Fatherly compassion – a Hebrew root that implies action – moves Him to not just the sin (that’s love), but to demonstrates that love by removing – or more literally – doing away with them. As Hebrews 8:12 says – He remembers our sins against us no more.