Psalms 79:8-10 Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us! Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us, for we have been brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; and deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, for Your Name’s sake! Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let there be known among the nations in our sight the avenging of the blood of Your servants which has been shed.
The plea of the psalmist is for relief from the destruction of Israel by its enemies; a destruction that was the result of their sins; the sins of their fathers, as well as their own. Sin brings death and destruction; not only for us who commit them, but the consequences also affect future generations. Praise be to God that in Christ Jesus we not only have eternal life, but also forgiveness for all our sins. However, let us not forget that forgiveness does not mean that the consequences have been erased. A person who abuses their body with drugs and alcohol can accept Jesus as Savior, have eternal life, but still have to live with the physical consequences from years of abuse. There is one very important thing to observe about the psalmist's plea for relief. Their desire is that God would forgive their sins of the past, as He has used these circumstances to bring them low; but their desire for God's salvation is also for God's glory. When we find ourselves in need of relief from the troubling circumstances that God allows, in order to get our attention and bring us to a place of repentance, do we seek relief for our own selfish reasons or God's glory? Are we going before the Lord repenting because we are now sorry that we got caught or cannot deal with the consequences, or are we repenting because we are truly broken over sinning against a Holy God? Are we seeking forgiveness because we truly want to serve God with a clean heart, and desire to have a testimony that glorifies Him, or is it all about us and our selfish motives? God will allow trials in order to get us to refocus on Him; and yes, He does it for our good, but ultimately our lives are about His glory, and we must never forget that.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
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