Journeying to Easter - Part 1Намуна

Joy out of sorrow

King David was looked upon as the great ruler of his people, the forerunner of Jesus. Yet that same King David was an adulterer, a liar, and one who was complicit in murder. No wonder his Psalms feature much lament. He knows he has sinned badly. So he brings it honestly before God without concealment and without excuse. His relationship with God is impaired. We need to note that David has not lost his salvation through his grievous sin. He has lost the joy of his salvation. Our sins are dealt with by Jesus’ death on the cross. So we confess our sins not to get forgiven all over again but to restore a healthy relationship with God.

My children may rebel against me, but they remain my children. Yet, our family life is impaired. Their rebellion doesn’t remove them from my family but does spoil theirs and my enjoyment of family membership. So it is with our straying from God. If we don’t lament such straying and seek His help in overcoming the sin, we won’t enjoy our salvation even if we are, in fact, saved. David sinned grievously but was not beyond the reach of mercy. If any of us thinks we are too far gone, look to David. Our God is not some purse-lipped moraliser demanding we squirm in the dirt to get Him to accept us. If we confess our sins, He is not going to shake His head and tell us to try harder next time.

Confession is not about how bad we are but about how good God is. Confession of sin is made necessary, made possible, and made liberating by the fact that His goodness is forever greater than our badness.

Written by DAVID REAY