I was reading through the Psalms tonight and God brought several scriptures to my attention. I'd like to share them with you.
Psalm 44:5-7 Through You we push back our enemies; through Your name we trample our foes. I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but You give us victory over our enemies, You put our adversaries to shame.
Our enemies, our foes, are not just people who are against us. Our enemies are also immorality, lust, greed, sins of the flesh, etc. Only through God can we push these enemies back and trample them. We may not have a physical bow or an actual sword, however, often we put our trust in our own willpower to be able to defeat our "enemies." But only God is trustworthy. Only through His strength, and leaning on His power can we have victory.
Psalm 50:16-21 But to the wicked, God says: What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. You speak continually against your brother and slander you own mother's son. These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face.
There was a time in my life when I "cast [God's] words behind" me, yet I still acted the right way in front of the right people and said the right things...recited His laws. God was silent at that time and I was able to justify to myself that I couldn't be doing anything really wrong, or God would punish me. But God does not stay silent forever. He desires us to come back to a right-standing with Him. 2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come into repentance." When God is silent, He is neither condoning sin, nor indifferent to it; He is withholding deserved punishment, giving us time to repent. Thank You, God for Your holiness, Your grace, and Your mercy.
Psalm 51:1-12, 17 Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
I know that when I turned my back on God, many people were hurt by my actions. But none were hurt more than God. Even now, several years later, my relationship with God suffers, as there are still barriers that are being torn down. Satan loves to remind me of my failures time and time again. In my weak flesh, often I will believe the lies Satan tells me. I have to start all over, trusting that God has forgiven me and chooses not to remember my sin. At the church I was going to before I moved, Pastor Timmons made the point that often we say God forgives and forgets. However, forgetfullness is a flaw. "I forgot my keys" is a flaw, and we know that God is perfect. It is not that God forgets our sin, he chooses to remember it no more. Hebrews 10:17 says, "Then He adds: Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." The last part of Jeremiah 31:34 says, "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
Lord, my deepest desire is that You create in me a pure heart. Draw me into Your presence and fill me with Your Holy Spirit every day. Restore in me the joy I have when serving You and living my life as You would have me live it. Thank You, O Precious Lord, that You do not despise a contrite and broken heart. According to Your promise, cleanse me whiter than snow and blot out all my sins, choosing to remember them no more. I praise You, Lord Jesus; You are worthy to be praised!
No comments:
Post a Comment