Psalms 32 is a great psalm to study. There are many opportunities to branch out and explore the many characteristics of God and to examine humanity’s frailties and God’s loving arm of recovery. However, here in this devotional, I want to look at a single message God wants us to hear: the biggest mistake a Christian makes is to cover their sin, for sin silences our ears to God’s voice. Do you remember Adam and Eve when they sinned in the Garden, and then they tried to hide from God?
We all sin. Read 1 John if you want to refresh your memory concerning sin. Now, once we are saved, SIN, itself, has been left behind in our old self. When we are born again, we are no longer slaves to SIN. Yet, sins, not SIN, challenges us our whole natural life. This because our “old man” is still alive and still subject to worldliness.
Note: We do not lose our salvation because of sins. I’ll say more about this in another devotional.
As we mature in our new life we learn to live as citizens of God’s kingdom. God’s sanctifying (i.e., being set apart; holiness) work within us continually calls us to walk away from worldliness. We must put away old, sinful thoughts, old sinful patterns in our life, and, as God said through Paul, “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13 NIV)
So here is the verse of Psalms 32 that I hope we all “bake” into our minds, souls, and spirits:
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
To suppress the pain that comes from hidden sin we become calloused to the presence of God. The longer we hide our sin the more our heart becomes hard, and God seems more and more distant to us. Left unresolved, we will lack the power of God working through us, like Samson (Judges 16:20).
During this Christmas season be reconciled to God. If you have not accepted Jesus as your Savior, receive Him. If you are estranged from God because of sin, confess it and repent quickly. And, if possible, make restitution to anyone you owe because of your sin.
There is nothing you have done that is so bad that you can’t talk to God about it. He is the God of second chances.