Verse of the Day: Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word.... It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.—Psalm 119:67,71
Memory of the Month: Psalm 33:4
4 For the word of the Lord is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
Today's reading: JOEL 1-3 REVELATION 5
Always Before Me
Psalm 51:3>For I am aware of my rebellious acts; I am forever conscious of my sin.
Is my sin always before me? Really, think about this. King David wrote this Psalm as a prayer of confession, I believe, after Nathan the prophet had confronted the king with his adultery and murder(Bathsheba and hushand). David had a heavy conscience. His heart was condemning him for his sin and so he fell before God in contrition and cried out Psalm 51.
But why did it take the prophet Nathan to 'wake' him up from his unconsciousness of the sin? Think about that. David was not sorry for his sin for a little while-until the prophet hit him between the eyes with it. Then, the guilt came crashing down.
The reality that God knows everything is a fact that the human heart tries to lock away and ignore. This is exactly how good people(as well as evil) keep guilt at bay. Ignore God and bury guilt. Acknowledge God and our sin is right there in front of us like a pile of stinking refuse. So, we do all we can to justify our sins and push back the guilt.
Joel 2:17
Let the priests, the Eternal’s servants, stand between the porch and the altar
and weep as they intercede. Let them say,
"Have pity on Your people, O Eternal One!
And do not let Your legacy—Your covenant people—
Be taunted and mocked by the nations,
who ask, “Where is their God?”"
The 'taunting and mocking of the nations' to me is the weight of guilt on our hearts and minds as well as the enemy doing his 'accusing'. We push our sin down until it becomes a way of life but then this turns into, for many, what seems to be the eyes of the world knowing all about their lies and deceit. (If it seems like the world sees our sin, it is because the eyes of God himself see all we do. Couple this fact with accusations of the enemy and the load starts to feel unbearable.)
Joel 2:12 says:12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.”(Rip the wickedness out of your hearts; don’t just tear your clothing.)
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
This paints quite a picture of what God wants to see in our hearts and minds for repentance.
Repent-return to God and then, the rest of Joel 2:14 says,
Maybe enough grain and wine to offer
to the Eternal, your True God?
Enough grain and wine? This is our heart after confession. Before the armies of guilt and shame are erased by confession and humility before the Lord our hearts are a 'dry and parched land'. After confession, in humility before Him, the 'grain and the wine' return in the form of gratitude and praise.
To recap-when we are conscious of God, our sins are always right there-until we confess. We are not able to praise, as we are supposed to, because we are dry and parched. But God always restores our souls when we return to Him.
Return...
...because He loves us...
Father in Heaven,
I see Your face. My sin is before me. Forgive me. Have mercy on me and I will sing Your praises.
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