Allowing past Mistakes to linger will Destroy the Mercy God gives to us

Allowing past Mistakes to linger will destroy the Mercy God gives to us

One unsolicited sin we’ve been guilty of and are reminded of by another person has the ability to make us think that God has not really granted us forgiveness.  Perhaps after a period of time of confessing and being absolved we felt relieved until a close friend or relative reminds us of our weakness and should not be in the business of preaching about sin.  

Isn’t it the same old conviction that a well-meaning person will in themself feel good in the eyes of God for pointing out their friend’s sinfulness?  Seems like they lied about that somewhere in scripture and were accused of hypocrisy.  Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and his disciples, saying,  “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chariot of Moses.  Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example.  For they preach but they do not practice.”  (Mt 23: 1 - 3).

Had David forgotten the mercy God had for him, and other sinners as well, he may not have been the ancestor of Jesus.  At the turn of the year, when kings went out on campaign, David sent out Joab along with his officers and the army of Israel, and they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Tabbah.  David, however, remained in Jerusalem.  One evening David rose from his siesta and strolled about on the roof of the palace.  From the roof he saw a woman bathing, who was very beautiful.  David had inquiries made about the woman and was told, “She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam, and wife of Uriah the Hittite.  Then David sent messengers and took her.  When she came to him, he had relations with her, at a time when she was just purified after her monthly period.  She then sent information to David, “I am with child.”  So David sent a message to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite."  After trying to have Uriah sleep with Bathsheba, his wife, he would not do it, David ordered Joab to put Uriah on the front line where the battle was the most furious and deadly.  Uriah was killed and now the secret of adultery was safe.  (2 Sam 11: 1 - 5).

Later Nathan told David a story that put him in a precarious position.  “Judge this case for me!  In a certain town there were two men, one rich, the other poor.  The rich man had flocks and herds in great numbers.  But the poor man had nothing at all except one little ewe lamb that he had bought.  He nourished her, and she grew up with him and his children.  Now the rich man received a visitor, but would not take from his own flocks and herds to prepare a meal for the wayfarer who had come to him.  Instead he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and made a meal of it for his visitor.”  David grew very angry with that man and said to Nathan:  “As the Lord lives, the man who did this merits death!  Then Nathan said to David: “You are the man! (2 Sam 12: 1 - 7).

Have mercy on me, God, in your goodness; in your abundant compassion blot out my offense, Wash away all my guilt; from my sin cleanse me.  For I know my offense; my sin is always before me.  Against you alone I have sinned; I have done such evil in your sight that you are just in your sentence, blameless when you condemn.”  (Ps 51: 1 - 6).  (David).

This Psalm along with Luke’s parable of the Lost Son (Lk 15: 11 - 32) tells the story of how we all sin and yet there is God pronouncing forgiveness with just a turning back and asking for mercy.  When someone wants to point out our sins we only need to reiterate the mercy of God and how he still loves us in spite of our weaknesses.  

Ralph B. Hathaway