But if we are honest, we have to admit that a lot of the pain in our life is caused by our own poor choices. You see, at our core, we are selfish creatures. We seek to fulfill our own fleshly desires. We don’t want God reigning in our life. We want to be God. This is the reality of our life, both before we commit to follow Christ and after. And we have a very real enemy who speaks into our unfaithfulness. He tells us that we are no good. He says that we can never be acceptable to God. And he tries to convince us that it’s pointless to even try to worship God because He won’t listen to sinners. But Martin Luther declared in the first of his 95 Theses that “the entirety of the life of believers should be repentance.” The Hebrew word for repentance means “to turn away from” and the Greek word means “a change of mind.” So, the picture that we get from Scripture about becoming a worshiper of God is one where we are continually turning back to a right understanding of our Lord and changing our thinking according to who He is. That is why repentance is a huge part of the life of a worshiper of God. Our rebellious ways take us further away from God’s loving plan for our life. It’s only when we seek to know Him better that we learn to trust Him with every decision of life.
Psalm 19
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat. The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 51:1-17
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
But if we are honest, we have to admit that a lot of the pain in our life is caused by our own poor choices. You see, at our core, we are selfish creatures. We seek to fulfill our own fleshly desires. We don’t want God reigning in our life. We want to be God. This is the reality of our life, both before we commit to follow Christ and after. And we have a very real enemy who speaks into our unfaithfulness. He tells us that we are no good. He says that we can never be acceptable to God. And he tries to convince us that it’s pointless to even try to worship God because He won’t listen to sinners. But Martin Luther declared in the first of his 95 Theses that “the entirety of the life of believers should be repentance.” The Hebrew word for repentance means “to turn away from” and the Greek word means “a change of mind.” So, the picture that we get from Scripture about becoming a worshiper of God is one where we are continually turning back to a right understanding of our Lord and changing our thinking according to who He is. That is why repentance is a huge part of the life of a worshiper of God. Our rebellious ways take us further away from God’s loving plan for our life. It’s only when we seek to know Him better that we learn to trust Him with every decision of life.
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