Claiming the Promise of Forgiveness

Scripture:
You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to all who call to you.
Hear my prayer, Lord;
listen to my cry for mercy.
Psalm 86:5-6

Observation: The psalmist has two key messages early in this psalm. He begins by declaring himself faithful, however he is in need of the Lord. He declares he calls to the Lord day and night in prayer, but also because he is needy and his life is in trouble. Then ... he pivots to discuss the Lord's forgiveness, declaring the that the Lord is forgiving, abounding in love, and that he is praying to the Lord for mercy, firmly believing the Lord will listen to him.

Yes, this is a man who is full of faith, and also full of the need for mercy. He has belief enough to have total faith in the Lord, to pray regularly, and even to himself write worship songs praising Yahweh, and yet he then knows that he is sinful, with his very life in danger as a result, and needs mercy, forgiveness, and protection from the world as it crushes in on him.

Application: Yea ... that just about sums it up for me.

In my heart and soul, I know I fully believe in Jesus, and in the love and authority of the Lord. This is my one true faith and knowledge in life, that the Lord exists, abounds in love, listens to me with mercy and love when I pray, and that he brought his plan - through Jesus - into the world so that by faith in Jesus alone I may have everlasting life in his presence, being worthy only through that faith that therefore brings forgiveness for my sins.

In my body and mind ... I know I am full of sin, unworthy of anything - anything! - I just said in that last paragraph. I fall every day, and am reminded of past failings much, much more often. Sometimes it feels like my life just circles and repeats in a cycle of failure at all levels.

Am I too hard on myself? In the full context of the Lord's goodness and love, no, I'm too easy on myself. One act is deplorable to him, worthy of death, so how many deaths am I due by now?

Thank you, Lord, for Jesus!

So I stand here today claiming the promise of forgiveness. It is by the forgiveness of the Lord alone that I can even have hope for anything in life, for without it I would already be destined to eternal damnation thousands of times over. I know that I must not 'rely' on forgiveness as some kind of permission to sin, and that I do want to improve myself daily - especially in regards of control of my mind - to keep the Lord central not only on a daily basis, but moment by moment, always. However, today ... I need forgiveness, and I am so delighted to know that it is available, I have received it by my prayers, and I can trust it because the Lord is always and forever trustworthy.

Prayer: Lord, I won't even write it here, but I instead drop to my knees to pray it. I thank you for hearing me, and for your amazing love. Amen.