Psalm 38
Wow! Has half a year just flown by?
So here we are, starting the 3rd time we are looking at the Books of Wisdom this year. Let’s dive right in…
Bible Passage: Psalm 38
Hmm… not exactly a cheerful Psalm to start off the second half the year is it?
The title of this Psalm in my bible says that it is a “Prayer in Time of Chastening” and it is a “Psalm of David. To bring to remembrance.”
David was recalling his past sin and his deep remorse for what had happened. I am not sure what your year has been like but perhaps there is a need for quiet reflection and bringing to remembrance our sins and pray over them just like David.
The recent hot topic in local newspapers and online forums has been on the way money has been handled by a local mega church. There has been much that has been written about this and I am not here to say more. But I was thinking that it takes years to build a reputation – but all this can be destroyed as a result of indiscretion and sin.
When I was young, I used to take the school bus to school. Now, I was a quiet boy and unlike many of the other boys in the bus, I hardly caused the driver any problem or difficulty. But one day, challenged by another boy to do something silly, I did it. The driver got angry with one of the boys and said that if he threw a glass bottle out of the moving bus, he would give him $10. The boy did not do it. I did.
And from then, I was known as the boy who threw the glass bottle out of the bus. Any reputation I had as a good boy was gone! Whatever else I did or did not do since that year, my name remained associated with that reckless action.
Now often, we think that young people should be more careful about how they behave and not tarnish their reputation by doing something silly and having it plastered over all the popular social media sites. But adults too can throw away their good name through one poor choice.
When one thinks of David, despite his many other good actions, will always be associated with his shameful, sinful and adulterous association with Bathsheba. Even though God forgave him later, his reputation has been stained.
In today’s psalm, David describes the agony of living with the results of his sin.
This serves as a good reminder for us today as we start the second half of the year.
There are many lessons that the Books of Wisdom can teach us but here are just 3 other verses to remind us today…
We must guard our heart….
Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
~ Proverbs 4:23
We must walk wisely….
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
~ Ephesians 5:15
And finally, we must follow in the steps of Jesus….
For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
~ 1 Peter 2:21
It takes just a moment of indiscretion to destroy your good name. It also destroys any testimony that you can make for God.
Don’t let it happen to you.
And if it has happened, we should react like David.