I am sure, like me, you have had many ‘ I wish I hadn’t’ moments. Perhaps you shared something in confidence with a blabbermouth, or spoke ill of someone. Maybe you just embarrassed yourself or let someone down?

I tuned in on iplayer to the Mark Thomas show about Wigan on Radio 4 the other evening. It had moments of real hilarity, one of which was the recounting of an occurence that I confess had me crying with slightly inappropriate laughter.

Back in 1992, Wigan’s rugby league team had just won some championship or other and the prevailing Primeminister at the time, John Major, came to meet and congratulate them.

Unfortunately for him, and the 2nd Row forward concerned, Mr Major walked into the changing room at full time to be met by a totally naked man – naked that is, apart from a single pineapple ring being sported as a genital appendage. I don’t know who would have felt more awkward. The person inventively wearing the fruit salad, or the one who accidently beheld it!

We have all done things we are ashamed of, things we wish we could take back and omit from our lives and our memories. But the wonderful news is that God chooses not to remember our gafs and our failings. He does not parade them in front of us when we ask Him for anything:

“Don’t you remember what happened last time? Pah! There is no way we are going THERE again!”

No, God is not like this. Instead, He is patient. Slow to anger. Abounding in love. He will not laugh at us when we try our best. He will encourage and cheer us on.

More that this, He tells us that there are a great cloud of witnesses also joining Him in his pursuit of goodness for us. (see Hebrews 12)

I, for one, am so glad that God chooses not to laugh at me, but to love me. Aren’t you?