2005-03-10 - My Folly

Ps 69:5 O God, it is Thou who dost know my folly, And my wrongs are not hidden from Thee. (NAS)

Most of us have one or two close friends who know us very well. In some cases, they complete our sentences for us, willingly feel our hurts and help us shoulder our struggles, and know when there is something we just can't bring ourselves to tell them. They often know what that something is too. And they don't care what that something is. Their first goal is restoring the relationship, or healing the hurt. They are a type of that friend who sticks closer than a brother - a reflection of Christ in our lives.

David opens this Psalm freely admitting that he is far from perfect. In fact, he refers to his thoughts and actions as folly and admits he has committed wrongs. The use of the word folly reminds me of Jesus speaking in Matthew explaining that someone who wrongly accuses his brother of being a fool would be in danger of hell fire. To call someone a fool was apparently taken as a serious curse in this culture. And yet, here David characterizes his own actions as foolish. He is dealing harshly with himself.

David also correctly points out that nothing is hidden from God. He is all-knowing and all-present. He is everywhere and everywhen. There is no act, or no word that is hidden from the Lord of Hosts. This is the correct attitude to take. There is no arguing our way out of it. There is no one else to blame.

There is freedom in this admission. David has confidence in his Lord that an honest, penitent heart will be forgiven. Making no excuses, David comes and humbles himself. Remember Ester entering the throne room and prostrating herself on the floor with tears. The king was her husband, but he also could have had her executed for coming unbidden. Ester's broken heart was enough to touch Ahasuerus and he heard her request. The God Who sent His only Son to free us from sin and death stands even more ready to hear and to forgive the humble heart of His child.

I know my own frail heart and mind. I am willing to admit that I probably sin each day before my feet hit the floor. But my Father stands ready to forgive if I will ask with an honest and humble heart. The hope we all have is that His love for us is greater than our sin, and it has always been so. Deal with your actions with the same honest heart as David, and the release of knowing that God is greater than all our failings snaps clearly into focus.

Father - give us honest hearts and minds to see our sin, and the courage to turn from that sin and ask for Your forgiveness - so that we can know the joy of Your mercy and grace. Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Mike

mhoskins@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org