Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 24 NIV, Ch. 25 NLT, Ch. ESV

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Thoughts

In Psalm 25, notice how David professes his devotion to, and faith in God. And then he asks God for several very worthy things. It’s a beautiful and elegant prayer.

But what I want to draw your attention to is the fact that David, in the midst of his song, which would be a great prayer, asks God to forgive him three different times.

Sometimes I think we presume on God’s grace. Yes, we have the promise of forgiveness when we become believers in Christ. My belief is that when Jesus died on the cross for us, he covered our past, our present and our future sins. But notice what the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 1:9: “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”

Have you ever heard the term “prayed up”? It means that I’m caught up, up to date, with my prayers. I’ve taken my sins, my petitions and my praises to the throne of God, and I’m current with Him.

Please don’t misunderstand. I don’t think God is an accountant, keeping track of debits and credits with our sins. Not at all. But at the same time, I don’t think it is spiritually healthy for us to take God’s grace for granted. It is good to remind ourselves that we do sin, and it is good and necessary to ask God’s forgiveness.

We ask His forgiveness so that we can have a close and unhindered relationship with Him. We don’t want anything to stand in the way of that. We want to be able to come into His presence in prayer with the knowledge that He will hear us. When there is unconfessed sin, that relationship with God is hindered, and we risk His discipline. A loving father disciplines his misbehaving children, and God the Father is no exception.

So my encouragement to you, beloved, is to be prayed up. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some praying to do myself.