Do you find yourself being drawn to a Biblical figure or Biblical moment, to the point where you spend a good portion of time learning and growing from that person or moment? That tends to happen to me, and more recently I have been drawn to the life, heart, and teachings of our brother Paul.
Paul reminds us within 2 Corinthians 5:17, that when someone becomes a Christian, they become a brand-new person inside; and they are no longer the same anymore, because a new life in Christ has begun! It is within this new life, through salvation, that we begin to understand the blessing of divine forgiveness by God’s grace. We must remember that “If we say that we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the Truth. But, if we confess our sins to Him, He can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away out sins.” (1 John 1:8-9).
In today’s Psalm, David expresses the relief that comes from being forgiven of sin. David sinned with Bathsheba, then he sinned by attempting to cover up his crimes. David initially refused to acknowledge his sin, but once he finally confessed his adultery and murder, the Lord graciously forgave him.
Friends, we are no longer the same as we once were, like Paul reminds us, and we are forgiven of our sins, as David reminds us. So, we must remain obedient to God’s Word. Remember, the world is rebellious and enjoys lawlessness against God’s Word, but we are faithful to follow it and to lead others into the loving and forgiving arms of Jesus.
Psalm 32 NLT
A psalm of David.
1 Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
3 When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude
5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude
6 Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time,
that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.
7 For you are my hiding place;
you protect me from trouble.
You surround me with songs of victory. Interlude
8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.
9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule
that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”
10 Many sorrows come to the wicked,
but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.
11 So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him!
Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for Your unending forgiveness. If there is anything that I need to be forgiven for, that I have not brought to You, please shine a light on it so that I can lay it down at Your feet. I want to live as one with You and to not carry sin. I love You, Lord. I ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.