Sunday Psalm Our Repentance And God's Forgiveness
Sunday September 16, 2018
During the time we were in active addiction our record of living in loving and faithful ways was likely non-existent. Some of us ended up with a rap sheet in the courts and others of us ended up with one written on our hearts. The guilt and shame attached to our failures and destructive behaviour took hold of us, and if we are honest, many of us still struggle with those memories.
Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! 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. (Psalm 32:1-2, 5 NLT)
God invites us to a new way of living, not just with new behaviours, but also with new ways to deal with thoughts and memories from the past. It is God's plan that we live free from the burden of guilt and shame. That doesn't mean we don't care about what happened or how we've harmed others. It means we own what we've done and humbly ask God to remove our character defects. As we then live according to God’s principles, others will observe how God has changed us.
The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure! (Psalm 32:8, 11 NLT)
It's time to not only be honest about what we've done in the past, but also to be honest about what God has done on our behalf.
Prayer: Heavenly Father. You know all about me – past, present, and future. I lay down my own opinions about how life should have been and confess that I failed to live according to Your ways. I receive Your forgiveness through Jesus’ finished work on the cross and lay down all condemnation and false guilt. I am forgiven. I am truly free to be the person You created me to be. I am forever grateful that You love and care for me. Amen
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