Thursday, March 10, 2011

Blessed Are The Forgiven (Part 2)

Blessed Are The Forgiven (Part 2)
“I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.” Psalm 32:5
Modern advertisers do a great job in creating a demand for the product they are promoting. You see a picture of those two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun… and you want to run out a buy a Big Mac! But no matter how highly recommended the product comes, or how beautiful and enticing the image, a picture can never satisfy your hunger. You have to try it for yourself!
In Psalm 32:3-5, David began to reminisce and reflect on where God brought him from. He began to recount a personal experience of the cleansing power of God’s forgiveness. He said, “When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat” (Psalm 32:3-4 NLT).
From experience I know that you can suffer for a long time without ever truly addressing the real issue. You can discuss your issue with your friends, family, co-workers, prayer partner, or therapist, but none of these have the ability to provide the needed reconciliation. It’s only when confession is made to the Lord that He can address the issue at the root cause.
There is a willingness to confess when there is knowledge of God’s mercy. If you believe God wants to punish you for every little thing you’ve done wrong, most people would prefer to try to hide what they’ve done rather than confess it. But God loves us and is willing to forgive us if we acknowledge our wrongdoing. God’s mercy towards us was shown most clearly in giving His beloved Son to die for our sins. Therefore, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NIV).
You’ll never truly appreciate the blessings of God until you’ve first experienced the mercy of God! I can tell you how good the Lord is, and you can even witness how my life has changed since I came to Christ, but at some point you’re going to have to try Him for yourself. “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Psalm 34:8).

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