by Pastor Philip
Psalm 32
A psalm[a] of David.
1 Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,[b]
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
3 When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude
5 Finally, 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. Interlude
6 Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time,
that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.
7 For you are my hiding place;
you protect me from trouble.
You surround me with songs of victory. Interlude
8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.
9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule
that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”
10 Many sorrows come to the wicked,
but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.
11 So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him!
Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!
I remember back in my college days how exhausted I’d be at the end of a semester. It was my own holiday tradition for a few years to basically pass out for a couple of weeks. It was the one time of the year where I didn’t work or go to school and no matter how much I wanted to go have fun and do stuff with my family and friends, I could barely keep my eyes open. I never fully realized the impact my business and hefty workload was having on me while I was in the middle of it. It was always in those precious two weeks off that my body would inform me of just how tired I was. I had to remove myself from the adrenaline and deadlines for me to find healing.
Psalm 32 reminds me of that feeling. It hits harder knowing that each time I refuse to bring my failures to the Lord, I’m literally physically, spiritually, emotionally withering away.
Rebellion of the heart is the source of decay in our lives, but thank God we don’t have to stay that way.
Everyone of us has racked up a massive debt we’re unable to repay and God offers us true freedom in exchange for the exhaustive weight of guilt and shame.
I think sometimes we get nervous about confessing our sins because it’s so hard to imagine us being able to forgive someone like God does. It’s hard to grasp.
But look what God can do when we truly open ourselves up to Him. Our vulnerability brings us to a healthier place where God can lead us without having to treat us like stubborn mules.
I’m pretty sure I still act more like a mule than I’d like to admit but it’s a process y’all.
Thank the Lord for His unfailing love and the beauty of a clean slate before Him. May we all find rest and rejoice in His generous grace.
