Blessed
Blessed
I
got saved in 1979. That same year Bob Dylan released his song “Gotta Serve
Somebody” from his gospel album Slow
Train Coming. My little enclave of saved friends would listen to that album
and be encouraged by its truth.
Everybody
serves somebody – it’s not what we’re thinking of when we launch in life. It’s
not what we imagine when we yearn for independence – when we think about making
it on our own. When we struggle with career choices and relationships, we are
usually not thinking about serving somebody. We’re thinking of independence –
freedom – autonomy.
When
I was a teen, I used to love to drive – I relished the feeling of going my own
way under my own power. Not having to answer to anyone was attractive.
But
as Bob Dylan sings, You’re gonna have to
serve somebody. Well, it may be the Devil or it may be the Lord, but you’re
gonna have to serve somebody.
In
a similar way, David opens Psalm 32 like this:
How blessed
is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the
man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no
deceit (Psalm
32:1-2).
Acknowledging
our sin takes a bit of honesty and self-awareness, we don’t get to pretend
everything is okay. Pretense is deadly. Jesus doesn’t care about keeping up
appearances. We need to be genuine – we must see our need.
Psalm
32 goes on to contrast the painful results of willful, impenitent sin with the
deliverance, peace, and joy of repentance and forgiveness.
The
restlessness, dissatisfaction, and pain of going our own way is detailed in
verses three and four:
When I kept
silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For
day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with
the fever heat of summer.
Our
culture thinks it can determine its own morality, but we know intuitively when
we are not in line with a higher standard – one that is not of our own making
(Romans 2:15).
If
we are truthful with ourselves, we know we will never be satisfied in the
service of anyone other than the Lord. We may think we are our own boss – I do what I want! – but we will be
serving an ungracious master.
The
psalmist gives us the prescription for wholeness:
I
acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will
confess my transgressions to the Lord”; and You forgave the guilt of my sin (Psalm
32:5).
Salvation
is not that complicated. It requires acknowledging sin, repenting or turning
from it, believing Jesus paid the price for our sin, and confessing him as Lord
(Romans 10:9-10, 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Lord
- being master.
Folks
bristle at the words master, submission, authority, obedience – we equate those
words with bondage. Rightly so, when anything but the Lord is our master.
We
will serve somebody – but the only master that will make us truly free is the
Lord Jesus.
Therefore,
let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely
in a flood of great waters they will not reach him. You are my hiding place;
You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance (Psalm
32:6-7)
We’re
good at sinning. We have a hard time keeping our hands clean even when we want
to. We need a deliverer – and not just any deliverer, a rock, a mighty
fortress, a hiding place, a refuge, and a sure foundation (Psalm 62:6, Psalm
18:2, Psalm 91:2).
Being
His far outweighs any price we think we pay by bowing our knee to His Lordship.
I will
instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you
with My eye upon you. Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no
understanding, whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
otherwise they will not come near to you (Psalm 32:8-9).
This
verse seems to be revealing that the Lord is anxious to teach and guide us. He’s
watching and there is nothing about our situation that he doesn’t understand.
Then there’s a warning – don’t be a stubborn animal that has to experience a little
pain and restraint to obey.
Two
qualities necessary for maturity are to be humble and teachable. Many people
never cultivate those qualities making their lives, and the lives of those
around them, difficult.
May
we recognize his voice and follow without extraneous persuasion.
Many are the
sorrows of the wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord lovingkindness shall
surround him (Psalm 32:10).
I
love this verse. Matt Papa’s song “His
Mercy is More” beautifully illustrates what we gain in trusting the Lord. Shane
and Shane sing it in the link following:
What love
could remember, no wrongs we have done
Omniscient,
all-knowing, He counts not their sum
Thrown into
a sea without bottom or shore
Our sins
they are many, His mercy is more
What
patience would wait as we constantly roam
What Father
so tender is calling us home
He welcomes
the weakest, the vilest, the poor
Our sins
they are many, His mercy is more
What riches
of kindness He lavished on us
His blood
was the payment His life was the cost
We stood
‘neath a debt we could never afford
Our sins
they are many, His mercy is more
Praise the
Lord
His mercy is
more
New every
morn’
Our sins
they are many, His mercy is more
Be glad in
the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones; and shout for joy, all you who are
upright in heart (Psalm 32:11).
You did it again Nicole!! Thanks so much for that!! Your insights are a blessing to me! Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteNice, insightful passage. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDelete