The burden of our sinful nature is heavy. Some days it’s excruciating. There are days when I am crushed with the awareness of my sin…that attitude that distracted from God’s glory as opposed to bringing Him glory or that snarky comment that I know was not edifying and I should have refrained from blurting out. There are nights I crawl into bed thinking of all the opportunities to serve my Creator that I missed because I was consumed with my own desires or frustrations. I frequently find myself in the situation of the Psalmist here as he cries out for God’s mercy, fully aware of his shortcomings and lack of righteousness. He’s not simply saying he’s sorry with an obligatory apology, but he’s crying out to the Lord out of an understanding of the serious weight of his sin.
But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
Psalm 130:4-5
and in his word I hope;
Then there is hope. It’s of great importance to be aware our sin problem and feel it’s weight so that we are able to repent and turn to God, but it’s also of great importance to remember the glorious hope of God’s redemptive grace. We know that our God is just and holy. There must be a payment for sin and that payment is death. We also know that our God is faithful and providential. He provided a solution to our sin problem through the death and resurrection of His Son. I encourage you, as you read this powerful plea, to take time to search your own heart. If you are a Christ follower, have you sought out His mercy lately? Have you taken the time to marinate in the implications of your sin and praise Him for his gift of forgiveness? Have you waited on His mercy and peace, placing your hope in His faithfulness? Have you allowed Him to take the burden of your sin from your shoulders and to guide you in the way that you should go?
VC Devotionals 