Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 38:1-8
Ps 38:1-8
1 O LORD do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. 2 For your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down upon me. 3 Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. 4 My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. 5 My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly. 6 I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning. 7 My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. 8 I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.
Matt 26:73-75
73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away." 74 Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.
There is nothing that can make us more sick than emotional issues and the worst of these is a guilty conscience. It may be we said something that hurt someone or we did something that only God knows but guilt of sin hurts. When Judas came to grips with what he had done, he was so filled with anguish that he went out and hanged himself. Peter wept bitterly. David wrote a Psalm, lamenting his sin.
To find a cure, one must recognize that they have sinned and then must be willing to turn from it. This is not a time to make excuses or to blame others for what we have done. If others have been wronged, we need to go to them and make things right, admitting what we have done and asking for their pardon. But most of all, we must go to God with heartfelt repentance and ask him to forgive us.
Just as guilt can make us sick, so forgiveness can fill us with joy. Married couples often talk of the fun in making up after an argument. Even more than this, is knowing that we are right with God and that he has forgiven us. Nothing is more blissful than assurance that we are in perfect harmony with Jesus and with God.
Heavenly Father I am so thankful that I can go to bed each night knowing that I am at peace with you and with Jesus my Savior. I recognize that this union is not because of what great or good things I have done but is only because of your grace and your forgiveness. Help me hate sin as much as you hate it. Give me the ability to love those who would seek to do me harm. Be with our nation, guide our leaders so that we can continue to live in peace. Bless your people, wherever they are and help us lead the lost to Jesus. In his name I pray.
Robert
