May 16th, 2024

Today is May 16th.   
   
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you. 
   
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”    
 
Today’s reading is from Psalm 32.

 
Blessed is the one 
    whose transgressions are forgiven, 
    whose sins are covered.
 Blessed is the one 
    whose sin the Lord does not count against them 
    and in whose spirit is no deceit. 
 When I kept silent, 
    my bones wasted away 
    through my groaning all day long. 
 For day and night 
    your hand was heavy on me; 
my strength was sapped 
    as in the heat of summer.  
 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.


It’s been said that the keys to Christian wholeness are repentance and forgiveness. Turning from our sin and receiving God’s forgiveness. This psalm is all about the gift of confession, which is the act of putting words to the wrong we’ve done, before God and others. Think back to something that you know you’ve done wrong at some point in your life. How did you feel about the possibility of that sin being exposed before God or other people?  
 
Our human tendency is to minimize our sin, to deny our sin, to deflect our sin onto others. But the psalmist reminds us of what our unconfessed sin does to us—it makes us sick. Spiritually, and sometimes also physically. But when we confess, we find health and wholeness. As you hear the psalm again, listen to the freedom of confession.  

Take a moment and think about a sin that you are carrying with you—something that you haven’t confessed and released before God and with another brother or sister in Christ. Can you turn from and ask God to forgive you of that sin? Can you ask someone to pray a prayer of forgiveness over you today?  

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Music: Kyrie Eleison - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)