Ever mess up? You knew what you should do… what was expected of you… what was right – but you didn’t do it! You exercised self-will and rebellion and you ended up in a mess – a BIG mess! It’s the human story really… “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God!” is the way the Bible puts it. (Romans 3:23)
I thought about my failures today (and, believe me, I have a few). I thought about friends of mine that have “fouled up” and ended up in predicaments of their own making. Self-will and rebellion don’t have a track record anyone would be proud of! The nation of Israel, God’s very own redeemed people, decided to do their own thing – to go their own way – and they ended up in bondage, in exile, in a mess! The Bible says, “the way of the transgressor is HARD!” (Proverbs 13:15)
But there is hope! I read about this morning in my Bible during “coffee with the Lord” and rejoiced!
“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared [i.e. reverenced]! I wait for the Lord! My soul waits, and in His word I hope! My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning! 7 O hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And He will redeem Israel [and anyone else who calls upon Him] from all his iniquities!” (Psalm 130 ESV)
And to that I say, “Praise the Lord!” … I’m banking on it! An old gospel song goes like this, “I’m just a sinner, saved by grace!”
