Psalm 25:11-22
Common English Bible (CEB)
11 Please, for the sake of your good name, Lord, forgive my sins, which are many! 12 Where are the ones who honor the Lord? God will teach them which path to take. 13 They will live a good life, and their descendants will possess the land. 14 The Lord counsels those who honor him; he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are always looking to the Lord because he will free my feet from the net. 16 Turn to me, God, and have mercy on me because I’m alone and suffering. 17 My heart’s troubles keep getting bigger— set me free from my distress! 18 Look at my suffering and trouble— forgive all my sins!
19 Look at how many enemies I have and how violently they hate me! 20 Please protect my life! Deliver me! Don’t let me be put to shame because I take refuge in you. 21 Let integrity and virtue guard me because I hope in you. 22 Please, God, save Israel from all its troubles!
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It's easy to imagine God sitting back, chuckling slightly, and saying, "I wonder how he's going to manage to extricate himself from this mess he got himself into."
Fortunately, God doesn't work like that. While it might be what we deserve, God isn't interested in making sure we suffer the full punishment for dumb choices. Instead, God is interested in redeeming us, in saving us, and in setting us up on the path to abundant and eternal life. God wants to free us from the things that bind us, including our own choices, so that we can live a life oriented around the worship of God, so that we can love God and love our neighbors. God hates watching his children suffer, and so God saves us.
May the saving love of God guide you in all you do today!
Common English Bible (CEB)
11 Please, for the sake of your good name, Lord, forgive my sins, which are many! 12 Where are the ones who honor the Lord? God will teach them which path to take. 13 They will live a good life, and their descendants will possess the land. 14 The Lord counsels those who honor him; he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are always looking to the Lord because he will free my feet from the net. 16 Turn to me, God, and have mercy on me because I’m alone and suffering. 17 My heart’s troubles keep getting bigger— set me free from my distress! 18 Look at my suffering and trouble— forgive all my sins!
19 Look at how many enemies I have and how violently they hate me! 20 Please protect my life! Deliver me! Don’t let me be put to shame because I take refuge in you. 21 Let integrity and virtue guard me because I hope in you. 22 Please, God, save Israel from all its troubles!
**************
It's easy to imagine God sitting back, chuckling slightly, and saying, "I wonder how he's going to manage to extricate himself from this mess he got himself into."
Fortunately, God doesn't work like that. While it might be what we deserve, God isn't interested in making sure we suffer the full punishment for dumb choices. Instead, God is interested in redeeming us, in saving us, and in setting us up on the path to abundant and eternal life. God wants to free us from the things that bind us, including our own choices, so that we can live a life oriented around the worship of God, so that we can love God and love our neighbors. God hates watching his children suffer, and so God saves us.
May the saving love of God guide you in all you do today!