igal did his wandering boy, stopping his
confession with the kiss of love and saying, "This my son was dead, and
is alive again." He forgives and forgets. He bears no anger. He keeps
no malice. He blots out the record of our misdeeds. He covers it with
the merits of his blessed Son.

Surely, then, it is worth our while to forget them also. We need not be
burdened with them. So long as we have not repented of them, we may
well be crushed under their load; but when we have cast them upon God,
we are forever free. Let them go down into the pit of eternal oblivion.
Let there be no phantom rising from the grave of buried sins to
affright us. Looking to the Christ, their power is all gone. Oh, what a
relief this is! See how men are driven by an accusing conscience--longing
for deliverance from themselves, since in themselves they carry the
executioner of broken law. Hear them crying out for waters of Lethe to
drown the sting of memory. Again see them courting death in the vain
hope of finding deliverance from their shame. But death will bring no
deliverance to the impenitent. Behold Dives: "Son, remember!" There
are no waters of Lethe. There is only one way of securing peace and
forgetfulness--confession, repentance, and faith in Jesus Christ. Then
we may forget our sins and errors. Over them is sprinkled the atoning
blood. Justice is satisfied; and forgetting the things which are
behind, reaching forth for the things which are before, we may with
elastic step and happy hearts press toward the mark for the prize of
the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

There are, then, some things worth forgetting. It is not wise nor right
to be forever halting under the bondage of that which Jesus Christ came
to destroy. In order that we may rise to a higher life we must forget
the lower. Why should we be forever killing foes that are already dead,
clinging to the memories of things whose purpose has been served,
dallying with toys when time has brought greater prizes to contend for,
and groaning under sins for which Christ has brought redemption? No,
let us believe and go forward. The future will be better than the past.
The way is open; on to attainment! forward to the victory! Make Jesus
Christ your Saviour. Take him altogether, and for all he is. Then will
the glorious life and joy into which he leads us swallow up the doubts
and fears and sins of former days. These will be forgotten in the
enjoyment of God's loving mercy and guidin