March 9, 2014

First Sunday in Lent 

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7, Psalm 32, Romans 5:12-19, Matthew 4:1-11

Ok. All of these passages are quite rich. 

And you should read all of them, of course.

For this post, I would like to think about the picture that is painted in Psalm 32. First David talks about the physical anguish that sin and the guilt of sin can cause in a person's life. Because of David's unconfessed sin, he groans all day long, and his body wastes away.

Finally he confesses his sins to the Lord. And the Lord forgives him!

David says, in verse 7, "For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory."

Then there is an interlude, and the Lord says in verse 8,  “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you."

How, in our own lives, do we recognize our own sin? Does it cause us to groan and waste away? Or are we so comfortable in it, that we no longer recognize its stench? Perhaps you prefer to call it a character flaw or a part of your personality. It's just who you are. 

Those are two ends of the spectrum of course....but where do you find yourself on it? How do you feel about the sin in your own life? Do you believe that God will forgive you if you confess your sins to him? Do you believe that he has forgiven you in the past?

Verse 1 and 2 say,

"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!"

What joy! And the Lord will guide us along the best pathway for our lives. He will advise us and watch over us. Do you believe this? Have you seen it in action? How could this influence the way you pray when you are unclear about the future? What does a life that is lived in complete honesty look like?