Your sins may be without number, the sand of the sea may be their befitting type, depicting their number, and the thought of their vileness and aggravation may be ready to overwhelm you; but be still; your patient God waits to be gracious. He could say as did His Son, “Him that comes to Me I will not at all cast out” (Jn. 6:37).

My soul, how often has being cast down been true of you? Have you not often cast off your God, and is it not true, consequently, that He would be warranted in casting you off as fuel for the fire of His wrath, as a sapless, fruitless branch (cf. Jn. 15:6)? Oh, be deeply humbled and softened because of your guilt, and resolve to dedicate yourself anew to His service, knowing that when you return to Him, He will not at all cast you out. Be not despondent by reason of former shortcomings: your sins may be great, but your Savior’s grace is greater.

After sinning against man as you have sinned against God, man’s sentence would be cruel. When David had a choice, he said, Let me “fall … into the hand of Jehovah; for His mercies are great; but let me not fall into the hand of man” (2 Sam. 24:14). David had known God’s mercies. Having committed adultery and then having the woman’s husband killed, he was still able to pray: “According to the abundance of Thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me fully from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is continually before me” (Ps. 51:1–3). And God did not cast him away!