Devotion – April, 24.
Good morning!!!!!!!!!!
Happy are those whose sins are forgiven,
whose wrongs are pardoned.
Happy is the one whom the Lord does not accuse of doing wrong
and who is free from all deceit.
Psalms 32, 1f
I see people in front of me. The corners of their mouth are pulled downwards. When they talk, bitterness and disappointment come up. They do not longer see the sun rising up, can not be pleased about the flowers and the life is a pure struggle for them. Even small children sometimes are overwhelmed by all the injustices of this world. Why does it happen? Why can people not be happy and free anymore?
First there is their own fault and their embarrassing failure which they would rather forget quickly. And there is the guilt, the injustice that has befallen them.
Happy are those whose sins are forgiven!
This morning I recognize this freedom and joy that I am cleansed and washed from my failure and my fault! How often did these embarrassing lapses burdened me! Sometimes I wanted to sink into the ground out of shame. Sometimes I could not sleep at night because I always thought of my guilt. But Jesus turned it into reality: My debt is paid, wiped out! Nobody should remember him or me or God of it, God has forbidden that. And I feel how my heart is getting light, and I start singing: Alleluia, my guilt is gone! The boulder has fallen from my heart! Jesus has taken away everything, nailed it to the cross and paid for it! I am free!
As long as I wanted to conceal or downplay my fault or wanted to make excuses, God could not forgive me. Only as I clearly saw my fault – even if I only was involved in a dispute to five percent – I could confess it; – And God could forgive it. God makes you free, even to see the own guilt, so that it can be forgiven. His goal is our freedom from the oppression of guilt and failure. His goal are free, merry, carefree and happy people!
Thank you, Jesus, You have forgiven my guilt. You have taken this oppression by me; – A large stone fell from my heart. Now, help me to stay in this freedom and that I not get captured by this oppression again! You are my savior!