Tag Archives: confess

Seeking guidance for your life?

20 Thursday Jul 2017

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 25, Psalms

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Reading:                                    Psalm 25
                                               (Verses 8-15)

Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.
All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.
For the sake of your name, LORD,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
Who, then, are those who fear the LORD?
He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
They will spend their days in prosperity,
and their descendants will inherit the land.
The LORD confides in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known to them.
My eyes are ever on the LORD,
for only he will release my feet from the snare (NIV).

Reflection
Some truths are self-evident: Water flows downhill, always has and always will. Darkness is an absence of light. The first line of today’s psalm reading is also one of those self-evident truths. Good and upright is the LORD. The LORD is always good and He is always upright in all His ways. There is nothing devious or corrupt about Him. That’s simply the nature of our God.

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Early Morning Sunrise, Grey Nuns Park, Orleans, ON — photo by David Kitz

Because the LORD is good and upright, righteousness and grace flow from His throne. The LORD instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. His love cascades down upon those who are humble of heart. Jesus in his earthly ministry exemplified the very nature of God, because he came as the LORD in human flesh. He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:27-29).

Are you learning from Jesus? Have you positioned yourself to hear and follow him? The LORD is our teacher, but he only instructs those who humbly fear and reverence Him. The obstinate sinner has shut his ears to the voice of God. There is no guidance from heaven for him, nor does he seek it, because in rebellion he has chosen his own path.

Do you want the LORD to guide you in the decisions you face? Be of good cheer. If you fear the LORD, He will instruct you in the way you should choose. Confess your sin to Him, admit your need before Him, and then open your spirit to hear from God. We have this promise: The LORD confides in those who fear him.

Response: LORD, in humility I come before you. I need your help and guidance every moment of the day. Teach me your ways in every situation and circumstance that I face. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you routinely ask for the LORD’s guidance? How has He responded? Can you testify to situations in which the LORD has guided your steps?

The Wounded Heart

30 Wednesday Nov 2016

Posted by in Psalm 109, Psalms

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Reading:                                         Psalm 109                                                                 

 (Verses 21-31)

But you, Sovereign LORD, help me for your name’s sake;
    out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.
For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
 I fade away like an evening shadow;
    I am shaken off like a locust.
My knees give way from fasting; my body is thin and gaunt.
I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
    when they see me, they shake their heads.

Help me, LORD my God; save me according to your unfailing love.
Let them know that it is your hand, that you, LORD, have done it.
While they curse, may you bless;
    may those who attack me be put to shame,
    but may your servant rejoice.
May my accusers be clothed with disgrace
    and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.

With my mouth I will greatly extol the LORD;
    in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him.
For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to save their lives from those who would condemn them (NIV).

Reflection

Post-traumatic stress disorder—PTSD—its effects are real. Soldiers are returning from theatres of war looking fit and healthy, but in reality they are deeply wounded by what they have seen or participated in. Of course one does not need to go to the battle field to experience the devastating effects of PTSD. First responders and witnesses to horrific events here at home can also become wounded and scarred.

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Prairie serenity, near Yorkton, SK — photo by David Kitz

In this concluding portion of Psalm 109, David makes this confession: I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

Our world is full of wounded people. Keep this in mind the next time you see someone in a fit of rage or self-medicating with a bottle of booze or pills or a hypodermic needle. The wounds are real. The way back to social and emotional health is often long, difficult and fraught with pain.

David, the wounded warrior, does two things that are vital for anyone who wants to recover from PTSD or any form of spiritual wounding. He admits his need. Rather than tough it out, he confesses that he is in a desperate state. I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

Secondly, David called out to the LORD. Help me, LORD my God; save me according to your unfailing love. The LORD’s ears are always open to that kind of prayer—the prayer of the wounded.

Response: LORD, I confess events in my life have left me wounded. Heal me on the inside. Today I turn to you. I can’t do this by myself. Help me, LORD my God; save me according to your unfailing love. Amen.

Your Turn: Are there wounded people in your life? Have you been wounded?

Unknown Faults

14 Monday Mar 2016

Posted by in Monday Meditation, Psalms

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None of us know our faults. Forgive me when I sin without knowing it (Psalm 19:12, CEV).

M Taylor Plum blossoms

Plum Blossoms, Nagoya, Japan — Photo courtesy of Matthew Taylor

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is forgiveness.

I can’t see the back of my head. I was reminded of this yesterday when I was getting my haircut. After the hairdresser finished, she held up a mirror so that I could see the back of my head. To my dismay I realized I’m balding back there. The evidence of hair loss was plain to see, but until that moment I was not fully aware.

In the same way we are often blind to our own faults. We are quick to spot the faults in others, but our own character flaws and moral shortcomings go undetected. Today’s verse from the Psalms reminds us of this.

None of us know our faults. Forgive me when I sin without knowing it (Psalm 19:12, CEV).

Even when we discover our faults or sins, we are usually quick to excuse ourselves. The truth is we don’t need excuses; they usually don’t hold water. We need forgiveness—God’s forgiveness. Honest confession to God and forgiveness from God liberates the soul.

Response: LORD God, help me to see my faults—not so I’ll be weighed down by guilt—but so I will be set free by your forgiveness through Jesus your Son. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you been blind to your faults? What do you do when you become aware of them?