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Reflections: Daily Devotions in Disability Ministry

Relief

August 12, 2010

Psalm 51:6-8
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. (NIV)

A dog named Mick lives at Michael’s house. He has no conscience. Not that Michael expects him to have one, either. He scolds him often for getting into food that is not his when everyone is out of the house.

One day, Mick ate a whole pizza when no one was paying attention. Another time, it was a dozen doughnuts. He has no guilt…ever. Yes, he hangs his head and slinks off with his tail between his legs when he hears an angry voice, but that’s simply fear of punishment. He will never learn right from wrong, because he has no concept of those things.

God made people differently. We do understand right and wrong, because of the way God made us. We understand it even more clearly through God’s Word and the Ten Commandments. God expects us to do what is right all the time, no exceptions.

The Psalm above was written by King David after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah killed to cover it up. This cover-up didn’t work. God sent Nathan the prophet to accuse David of his guilt and call him to repent. Because David had a conscience, his sin had been tormenting him intensely and constantly. It was a tremendous relief for him to confess his guilt and receive the forgiveness that he desperately needed.

Sometimes we try to silence our conscience, or just forget about the bad things we have done. Animals are able to do that, but not us. The way to quiet the conscience that bothers us when we do wrong is to confess our sins to God and receive His forgiveness. That is why Jesus died for us…to take away our guilt of sin. Nothing takes a load off our mind like sins that are forgiven.

Dear heavenly Father, we are grateful that there is forgiveness with You. Help us to always confess our sins and receive the peace that comes with sins forgiven. Amen.

Rev. Michael Schempf, Chaplain – WI
http://bethesdalutherancommunities.org/resources/spiritualResources/pmc.asp

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