Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Psalm 32

Psalm 32
  Common English Bible (CEB)

  The one whose wrongdoing is forgiven, whose sin is covered over, is truly happy! 2 The one the Lord doesn’t consider guilty— in whose spirit there is no dishonesty— that one is truly happy! 3 When I kept quiet, my bones wore out; I was groaning all day long— every day, every night!— 4 because your hand was heavy upon me. My energy was sapped as if in a summer drought. 5 So I admitted my sin to you; I didn’t conceal my guilt. “I’ll confess my sins to the Lord, ” is what I said. Then you removed the guilt of my sin.
   6 That’s why all the faithful should pray to you during troubled times, so that a great flood of water won’t reach them. 7 You are my secret hideout! You protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of rescue! 8 I will instruct you and teach you about the direction you should go. I’ll advise you and keep my eye on you.
  9 Don’t be like some senseless horse or mule, whose movement must be controlled with a bit and a bridle. Don’t be anything like that! 10 The pain of the wicked is severe, but faithful love surrounds the one who trusts the Lord. 11 You who are righteous, rejoice in the Lord and be glad! All you whose hearts are right, sing out in joy!

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  Secrets fester.  When we bury things inside us, they never go away.  The tug at the corners of our souls, affecting our entire lives.  Their power is only broken once they are exposed to the light.
  With sin and shame, we often bury them within, believing that we aren't worthy of God's forgiveness or afraid to admit our imperfections to God.  We feel like we should know better, and so we cover our sins with our shame and let them torment us.
  When we let them into the light of God's grace, confessing our sin to God, we break their power.  They no longer can control us, but are shattered on the cross, and we are free to live as God intended us to live.  God wants you to confess, because God is eager to forgive, because God wants you to live free, not captive to the power of sin.

May you experience freedom in Christ today!

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