A Daily Devotion for Monday, March 23

Isaiah 40:27-31

Why do you complain, Jacob?

Why do you say, Israel,

“My way is hidden from the LORD;

my cause is disregarded by my God”?

Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

Psalm 38:22

Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior.

Today I am struck by Psalm 38 and the concept of sin. David is exhausted and filled with pain because of his own sins. He knows he has sinned, and confesses in verse 18. But the remainder of the psalm is describing his own anguish! It is interesting that he spends so much time describing his discomfort, and so little time apologizing to God. Maybe there is a message in this- God forgives, but we have to do our own healing and rebuilding of bridges. We need to make amends when we wrong someone else. Isn’t that part of what God’s forgiveness enables us to do? Until we fully spell out our wrongful behavior, ask for God’s forgiveness and go back to make amends, the sin can continue to damage us.

Lord, I know you forgive me when I sin. Help me to see when there is more work to be done to repair damage I may have caused. Sometimes it may not be enough to confess only to you. Help me to understand this more fully. Amen

Becky, transforming