Your very own Yom Kippur - or why every day is a Day of Atonement for Christians

Leviticus 23:28 Do no work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the LORD your God. (NIV)

This coming weekend, Jewish people commemorate the Day of Atonement, which they call “Yom Kippur.” It is a holy day that goes back to the times when the Hebrew children were wandering in the wilderness, more than three thousand years ago. Both religious and secular Jews keep this day sacred because it is the one time of the year when they, as individuals and a community, seek God’s forgiveness for their sinful thoughts, words, and deeds. It is a time when they recognize they are fallen creatures living under the grace of a divine and benevolent God.

As Christians, we believe that every day is a Yom Kippur. We come to Christ on a daily basis with our confessions and seek His mercy. He atoned for our sins when He died on the Cross. He became our eternal sacrifice when He gave up His life for us. His atonement for the world is complete; His forgiveness of our sins is guaranteed by His death at Calvary. We have no Savior other than Christ Jesus. He died for our sins and intercedes on our behalf each day, when we confess our faults, mistakes, and regrets to Him alone.

Perhaps you’ve been carrying guilt around in your heart and mind for years. Perhaps you want to be released of the emotional turmoil and heavy burden that guilt inflicts. The good news is that you don’t have to wait any longer to be forgiven, and you don’t have to let a year come around before you can be guaranteed atonement, grace and restoration. Come to Christ right now with your confessions. In a wee while, you’ll feel and know of His forgiveness.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You have the power to forgive me and to set my soul free from the burden of regret and guilt. Help me to choose this day as a time of atonement, and to see every day as an opportunity to learn from my mistakes, to lead a better life, and to depend upon Your grace to restore me to God’s favor and blessing. In Your Holy Name, I pray. Amen.