Theme of the Week: Prayer
Bible Verse: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Scripture Reading: Psalm 51:1-19
We all fall short of the mark. We all sin. We all have great intentions that we can’t quite seem to reach on a consistent basis. We all know good things that we should do but fail to do them.
This is a common experience to all men. If anyone tells you differently, they aren’t being honest.
Even King David, probably the best one of us all, failed miserably. Pride. Laziness. Lust. Adultery. Dishonesty. Murder. And yet he was called a man after God’s own heart.
One of my favourite Psalms is Psalm 51. I have memorized it and rememorized it several times and have prayed it on many, many occasions.
It is David’s prayer of confession.
It is honest. David doesn’t make excuses for his sins. He doesn’t blame others. He doesn’t hold back. He brings everything into the light and pleads to God for His forgiveness.
Being a disciple of Jesus is not about perfection. I wish I was way less sinful than I am. I wish I could offer God a better sacrifice. But He knows all that. He has taken my humanity into account when He offered me His love and His eternal life.
His forgiveness is waiting to flow out into our lives if we would just open ourselves to receive it.
I think about the doors between adjoining rooms in a hotel. Unless both people open their respective doors, nothing can pass between the rooms. Imagine that we and our sins are in one room and God and His forgiveness are in the other. We cannot receive His forgiveness unless we open the door to our side of the room.
And God? Will He open His door? My brothers, He has popped the pins in His door, taken it off the hinges and tossed it over the balcony into the pool! He longs to forgive.
He forgave David and He will forgive you. Cry out the words of Psalm 51 with a humble and true heart and receive His forgiveness today.
Prayer: Lord, You know me. You know everything about me. You know every good thing I have done and every bad thing I have done. You see my brokenness. You saw it when You made Your way to Golgotha. You took all my sin on Yourself and now You offer me unmerited and unlimited forgiveness. I confess my sins to You because I know that You are my only hope to deal with all the guilt and shame that I carry. Thank you for Your extravagantly generous gift of love. I receive Your forgiveness. I live in Your righteousness. And I am filled with wonder and joy. Amen.
Reflection: Secrecy is the breeding ground for sins to flourish. Is there something that you are keeping secret? Is there some sin that you are hiding away and hoping to get a handle on? Confess your sins to God and confess them to each other. That is the pathway to true forgiveness and healing!
Copyright © 2023 Impactus | Promise Keepers Canada. All rights reserved.
About
