The news is quick to report all the details of famous people’s wrongdoings and their confessions. Perhaps it’s an athlete who was arrested for drug driving. Or it could be a politician caught in a selfish act. Only God knows the heart, but when we hear a stuttered “I’m . . . uh . . . sorry,” we may wonder if they are truly repentant (sorry about what they did) or just sorry they got caught.

When we read the confession of the famous King David we see what looks like genuine remorse. In his public discussion of his sins in Psalm 51, this disgraced monarch—who had an embarrassing record of sin which he had tried to keep hidden (2 Sam. 12:1-13; Ps. 32:3-5)—pleads for mercy.

He recognised that his sin was an offence to God—not just to people—and that God alone could judge him (Ps. 51:1-6). He realised that he must be cleansed by God (vv.7-10), and he celebrated God’s forgiveness (vv.11-17).

All of us sin and fall short of God’s glory. When we feel the heavy burden of sin weighing us down, we have the opportunity confess it and let God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9) lift us up. Our great God turns even our sins into an opportunity to grow in His grace and power and love!

Author

Dave Branon

Topics

Our Daily Bread