For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more (Hebrews 8:12 NIV).

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Have you ever had a contract or agreement with someone that just couldn't uphold their end of things? I'm talking, there is no way they are going to adhere to the terms you both agreed upon? What would you do?

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How do we respond when something deeper is broken, like a covenant? A covenant is a binding, even sacred, agreement or partnership between two or more parties. You could consider a covenant as having greater implications, weight, consequences, and meaning than the contracts or agreements we often encounter in an everyday material sense. If you don't pay the utility bills that you agreed to when signing up for service, your power may get shut off. That lease you signed for the place you live could result in eviction or monetary penalty if ignored. But the covenant we consider in Hebrews 8 has eternal implications and is of not just a worldly but a spiritual value.

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So what happens to us when we come up short, which we often do?  

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God found us to be at fault – the reason why the old covenant wasn't upheld. Now what's interesting is that when someone defaults in a contract, we typically consider them to be fully responsible, and they reap the prescribed outcome. It's likely considered to be the problem of the one at fault, yet God doesn’t view our situation this way. He doesn’t say “your loss – better luck never."
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He instead brings forth a covenant that is absolutely in our favor. The terms of which are accessible to us. He provides a means of rescue capable of reaching even those in the worst condition. This alone is a powerful testament to his mercy, kindness, generosity, and desire to be in relationship with us.  

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But what we read next, today's verse, takes things a step further. By this new covenant, God forgives us, and he even goes so far as to remember our sin no more. Think about that for a moment. We were the ones fully at fault, yet God makes it as if we never did anything to violate the sacred promise in the first place.

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When I think of these circumstances, I cannot explain any way that this makes a lick of sense other than God must care so much about us and desire so deeply to make us right with him. And that's grace, friends – that which we do not deserve.  

Jesus fulfilled what you never could – not because you deserve it, but because he loves you that much. What does that change for you today?

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How does the grace, love, and mercy of the Lord spoken through his new covenant need to wash over you today? Receive from the Father, who loves you despite anything you have done or not done. You can surrender to him today.

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Maybe it is letting his grace and forgiveness empower you to forgive someone who hurt you.

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Is there something else the Holy Spirit is prompting you to do? Share what that is with a friend today – God loves to work in community.