Sunday, May 11, 2008

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY: II Samuel 11:26-12:13

PSALM OF THE WEEK: Psalm 105:1-10, 24-28

HYMN OF THE DAY: CH#21 “Let the Whole Creation Cry” http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/l/e/letthewc.htm

VERSE OF THE DAY: Nathan said to David, “You are the man!” 2 Samuel 12:7a NRSV

 

The prophet Nathan told King David a story that made the king very mad.  He was not about to allow that kind of injustice in his kingdom.  Nathan’s words in verse 7 convicted the king of his own injustices.  How often do we see the wrongs committed by others, and get very upset about them, without realizing that we do the same?  If you answered, “never”, you need to look again.  We are all human and we all have our shortcomings.  We cannot hide behind trying to make other people’s sins out to be worse than our own.  Sin is Sin.  We all are “the man” who sinned.  The only solution is to accept God’s forgiveness (see verse 13b), forgive ourselves (sometimes that is the hardest part) and to forgive others.  The wages of unforgiveness is death (see verse 13c), both physically and spiritually.  Denying our sins and judging others just gets the same result. The only option we really have is to be realistic about our own sin, repent and request God’s forgiveness, accept God’s forgiveness, forgive ourselves, forgive everyone else, and move on with life.

 

PRAYER: O God of Mercy, forgive my sins against you; forgive my unwillingness to forgive others and even myself.  Free me from the burdens of sin and unforgiveness and let me live, truly live, freely for you. Amen.

 

See you in Church Sunday,

Pastor Sandy

 

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