In 2011 AT&T began to sell an "unlimited" data plan to its customers.
Those customers felt they were getting a good deal. They believed
that from the moment they signed up for this unlimited plan, they would
be able to use their tablets, their cell phones, their computers to
download all kinds of data, without any kind of restriction.
That's what the customers thought. AT&T thought differently.
In
practice, AT&T did let people download their data, but after their
customers had reached a certain number, the company slowed down the
speed at which that data was received. They slowed that data down to a
crawl. Many of AT&T's customers were frustrated; some felt they had been
cheated, and more than a few complained to the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC).
The FCC agreed with those disgruntled
customers.
In a recent ruling, the FCC said that AT&T apparently
doesn't understand that "unlimited" means, well, it means unlimited,
that is without restrictions, without penalties, without any kind of
slow down.
Even more, to help AT&T learn the meaning of
unlimited, the FCC has socked the mega-provider with a
100-million-dollar fine. That's the largest fine the FCC has ever
imposed. Understandably, this is a decision AT&T will be protesting in
an appellate court.
Now I wasn't totally surprised that AT&T
didn't understand the meaning of unlimited. It's a big corporation and
is doing its best to make money. But then I got to wondering -- does the
Lord understand unlimited? We know Jesus came into this world to offer
Himself as the sacrifice that would save us from our sins, but does that
mean an unlimited number of sins?
Does Jesus' blood rescue us
from the condemnation of all our transgressions? In the passage for
today's devotion St. Paul lets us know that there are no exceptions. He
says, in Jesus, God has "forgiven us all our trespasses." Period. There
are no exceptions listed. If there are any doubts left, St. John makes
things really clear when he writes, "And the blood of Jesus his Son
cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7b).
There you have it. These
passages, and many others like them, assure us that God's forgiveness is
unlimited. For people of faith, there is the reassurance that there is
no sin so large, so heinous, so hidden that it is beyond the cleansing
scope of Jesus' sacrifice.
In other words, when it comes to God's
forgiveness, unlimited means, yes, it means UNLIMITED.
THE
PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks there is forgiveness, salvation and
hope to all who have Holy Spirit-given faith. With all my sins forgiven,
may I lead a life that points others to Your unlimited love. In Jesus'
Name I ask it. Amen.
Pastor Ken
Klaus Lutheran Hour Ministries All rights reserved;
not to be duplicated without permission.
