Devotion Archive

Week of June 14, 2010

Finally!  I walked out onto my deck this morning and felt relief from the heat that has been so oppressive these past few days.  The sapping humidity from the high 90 degree weather was not there.  I felt good!

Perhaps you have experienced how strength sapping the heat of summer can be.  Maybe you, too, have longed for refreshment and relief from a heat that you can’t seem to escape.

King David knew what that was like.  Israel can be just as hot as and even hotter than Northern Virginia.  But King David also knew what it was like to long for relief from strength sapping guilt.

King David had made some very big messes in his life.  He had been lazy and apathetic at work, lusted, been greedy, committed adultery, lied, encouraged drunkenness, plotted murder, and engineered a government cover-up . . . all in one chapter of the Bible! (2 Samuel 11). 

 And after all the “highs “of his sins had passed, the terrible after effects of shame and guilt were crushing him.  He describes the pain of his guilt in Psalm 32 verse 4: “For day and night your (God’s) hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.”

Perhaps you have felt or are feeling right now the strength sapping weight of guilt.  You remember sins long past or just past and wonder if God could still love you. 

You need relief.  Fortunately, you have a big God whose big heart of love led him to die on the cross to forgive big sinners like you and me and David.  There is no sin that Jesus has not covered and cleansed with his blood.  There is nothing you could do that he can not forgive. 

Listen to how David describes this God-sent relief: “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’ – and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” (verse 5)

Your spiritual strength doesn’t have to be sapped by the weight of guilt.  Confess your sins to God.  Don’t make excuses.  Acknowledge that what you have done is wrong.  Look to him alone for mercy.  And then marvel at his love induced and soul relieving words: “You are forgiven.”

Finding relief in the mercy of God, just like you,

Pastor Jon Bergemann

Weekly Devotions are taken from Trinity's“Screenside Chat”, a weekly email devotion and newsletter from Pastor Bergemann designed to give you a spiritual boost from your Savior while keeping you connected to your Trinity family. 

Contact Pastor Jon Bergemann if you are interested in knowing more about Trinity Lutheran Church.

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