Consider your own relationship with God

This week I have read from Ps 44-53. But there were the portions in Ps 50 and 51 that jumped out at me that I want to share with you this morning. As you read it, prayerfully consider your own relationship with God.

Some people glibly recite God's laws but are filled with deceit and evil. They claim his promises but refuse to obey him. This is sin, and God will judge his people for it. We, too, are hypocrites when we are not what we claim to be. To let this inconsistency remain shows that we are not true followers of God (50:16-22).

Just because God is silent does not mean he is condoning sin or is indifferent to it. Instead, he is withholding deserved punishment, giving time for people to repent (2 Peter 3:9). God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked and wants them to turn from evil (Ezekiel 33:11). But his silence does not last forever - a time of punishment will surely come.

Ps 51 expresses one of the clearest examples of repentance in all of Scripture. Countless broken sinners have found in these words a clear expression of their deeply felt need for God's mercy and forgiveness. David's confession has helped people examine excuses, half-hearted repentance, and lack of sorrow over sin that can keep them from experiencing pardon. David's words also demonstrate the place of hope within confession. Use these Psalms as a starting point when dealing with a sense of distance or with guilt that is affecting your relationship with God. It will help you identify and rectify sin in your life through confession and repentance.