YEAR 1, WEEK 38, Day 7, Sunday, 22 September 2024

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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Sunday, 22 September 2024:

Psalm 38:1 — O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath!

Repentance starts with seeing your sin from God’s Holy and Righteous perspective, appreciating the fullness of your guilt and total inability to right you wrongs, and turning to the Lord for His undeserved mercy and grace. Of course, if we are going to approach God with confidence in His mercy and grace, we must hope those who sin against us also receive God’s mercy and grace, and we must give them our forgiveness, mercy, and grace. A failure to treat others gracefully and forgive demonstrates a lack of appreciation for the grace you have received through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, who though perfect, gave His life for your eternal salvation while you were still a sinner and before you even sought His forgiveness.

• Luke 23:34 — And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
• Colossians 3:13 — …bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
• Ephesians 4:32 — Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
• Luke 6:37 — “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven….”
• Luke 11:4 – “…and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”
• Mark 11:25 — And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
• Matthew 18:33-35 – “’And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Psalm 38:3 — There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin.

Sin affects your health. See also Psalm 32; Psalm 107:17-20; 1 Corinthians 11:30; Psalm 139:23-24 (anxiousness); Proverbs 14:30; and Proverbs 17:22

Psalm 38:4 — For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

Your sins have consumed you and are too heavy a burden for you to carry. You are totally dependent upon the grace of God through Jesus Christ who says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) You can release the burden of consuming guilt and inadequacy and have soul rest in Christ who is the only one who can offer you forgiveness and worthiness.

Psalm 38:11 — My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague, and my nearest kin stand far off.

Sin affects your relationships.

Psalm 38:11-15 — My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague, and my nearest kin stand far off. Those who seek my life lay their snares; those who seek my hurt speak of ruin and meditate treachery all day long. But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear, like a mute man who does not open his mouth. I have become like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth are no rebukes. But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.

The psalmist had come to a place in his sorrow where he no longer cared about what anyone else thought. He only wanted to be reconciled to God. His friends and family couldn’t make it right, and his enemies couldn’t make it worse. So, the psalmist didn’t respond to those around him but focused on prayer to the Lord. He chose the fear of the Lord over fear on man. We should do the same, but before the sin. Remember, sin isn’t primarily the breaking of a rule, it is infidelity in a relationship.

• Psalm 51:4 — Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
• Romans 8:31-35 — What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

Psalm 38:17-18 — For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever before me. I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.

There is a difference between remorse and true repentance. Both involve sorrow, one an ungodly sorrow and one a godly sorrow. Remorse is sorry for the sin because of the consequences the sin will bring. Repentance is sorry for the heart behind the sin and the infidelity against God, with an earnest desire to have the right heart before the Lord. Repentance is ready to bear the burden of any and all consequences, but that the heart would be made right and the relationship restored. The psalmist starts out by saying, “Don’t discipline me!”, but concludes with, “I’m ready to fall…. I confess… I am sorry….”

• Proverbs 3:11-12 — My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

Psalm 38:19-20 — But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty, and many are those who hate me wrongfully. Those who render me evil for good accuse me because I follow after good.

If you walk in grace, you won’t be understood by those who don’t, and you won’t receive grace from them. We must keep our focus on our relationship with God.

“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 22 September 2024: Confess your sins to the Lord, and then walk in grace, in love, joy, and peace, with soul rest.

• 1 John 1:9 — If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.