“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. Interlude The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.” Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord. So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!”
Psalms 32:1-11 NLT
In today’s post Christ culture it is easy to forget about relationship with God. Instead we view our covenant with him under the lenses of a contract. If we fulfill our end of the deal, then he will do the same. This often feeds our sin nature because it allows us to feel a semblance of control in the relationship with God. However, this is not how David sees relationship with God. In the Psalms, God is revealed to be beyond the scope of a contractual relationship. That is to say that he breeds contracts, but he is not bred by them. Instead, our love for him is such quality that it is maintained by faith and grace rather than deed. This is because our relationship is lopsided. God is perfect and we are not. We fall short, even in a perfect state, of God’s glory. Man’s glory does not shine if placed next to God’s. But when it operates in tandem, it is accentauted. The best relationship with God is one that confesses that difference, owns up to its sin, and relies on God’s character and grace. It is the only honest relationship with him no matter how righteous we have become in his presence. When we approach him, we ought to recognize this with praise and adoration that we don’t have to maintain the relationship, we only have to submit to it, and be honest in it.
JOSH McGARY.COM 