Psalm 51:1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.

It is interesting how the Lord gives us practicums in what He speaks to us. I’m preaching Sunday on how gratitude is the key to happiness, and since completing the notes I have been beset by little things that could have stolen my peace and joy, had I not countered them with conscious gratitude for God’s great blessings. Just now, I discovered that by my typographical error the Scripture list for the month gives today’s passage as verses 1-9, when it should have been 1-19, including the whole Psalm. I was hit with a wave of guilt, because of all the people to whom this Scripture list has been distributed, for whom I am responsible to God for their spiritual feeding. It is a small thing, certainly, but when we serve a perfect God we are constantly called to repentance, on one level or another. Comparing ourselves to others and thinking we aren’t nearly as bad as they are is common, but it is ultimately fatal. Each one is called to acknowledge their own sins, confess them before God, and place them under the blood of Jesus Christ to receive His forgiveness. When I take the things of God lightly I am dishonoring Him, and I’ve got to repent. Repentance isn’t just feeling bad about what we’ve done, it’s changing course so that we don’t do it again. As long as we are on this earth we will keep discovering ways in which we have not been like Jesus, which means we need to repent of those things. This is not condemnation, it’s discovering that God’s grace is continuous. If it were only for the moment of our salvation by faith in and commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord, then we’d be in deep trouble! God loves us in spite of our imperfections, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to acknowledge our imperfections and receive His cleansing. (1 John 1:9)

This is obviously about me as much as it is about anyone. I need to exercise the same grace toward others that is extended to me. I am not to excuse sin, in myself or others, but rather operate in the glorious reality that those who are in Christ do not continue in sin. (1 John 5:18) I’m not to be picking at myself, continually seeking things of which to repent, but I am to be fully open to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, to let Him point out everything that is not pleasing to the Father, and when He does, repent. I am not to be condemnatory of others, but rather proclaim God’s love and grace to them so that they may open their hearts to Him and let Him clean them up.

Father, it’s interesting to me how strongly my typo on this very important Psalm hit me. Thank You for the reminder of my imperfection. I certainly have worse faults than overlooking a numeral! Thank You for all that You have for me to do, in the next three days particularly. My body will be busy; help me stay at rest in You. May I be an open channel of Your grace and love to each person I encounter, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!