Psalm 25:11
For your name’s sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
This was taken at the St. John Men’s Retreat – October 2012.
Our relationship with the heavenly Father is based on his grace and truth centered in Jesus Christ. It is not based on what we have or have not done. It is not based on how we have failed or obeyed. We cannot obey ourselves into a right relationship with the Father.
Countless people have tried to find peace with God by their obedience, by rationalizing away their failures, or by their religious rituals and activities. These efforts do not bring us into a right relationship with the Father. They only turn one into a self-righteous and boastful Pharisee, or into a defeated and discouraged self-loathing worm.
But still we try. We judge ourselves by the success of our endeavors; spiritual, economic, career, and personal success or failure becomes the determining factor of our self-esteem. We judge God’s love based on how well we are doing with life. We let our circumstances color our perceptions of God, rather than letting God’s word and revelation color our perceptions of our circumstances.
Our heavenly Father has shown his love to us by calling us children of God. He has forgiven our sins and pardoned our guilt. We are his children based on his actions and decree. So when we try to obey ourselves into a place of his favor we abandon our place of his true favor and honor. We trade our birthright as sons and daughters of God for a bowl of porridge in the slave quarters.
There are times when the Father’s forgiveness and grace loom large in our hearts. We are deeply thankful for his mercy. We deeply rejoice in Christ’s redemption. There are also times when the mercy, grace, forgiveness and salvation of God go unnoticed; we ignore the reality of our need and God’s supply in this realm. But the truth of Psalm 25:11 remains: God’s name is great and glorious because he pardons our guilt. Our guilt is great, but God’s grace is greater still. Blessed be the name of the Lord!
Psalm 25
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust;
let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.
3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
6 Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!
8 Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11 For your name’s sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12 Who is the man who fears the Lord?
Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
13 His soul shall abide in well-being,
and his offspring shall inherit the land.
14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes known to them his covenant.
15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
bring me out of my distresses.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
19 Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!
Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.
22 Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all his troubles.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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