READ: Psalm 51:1-13
I love coconut. I always have! So, after an exhausting day in second grade, I found a bag of shredded coconut in the cupboard and devoured the whole thing. When my mother went into the kitchen later to bake—you guessed it, a coconut cake—I heard, “Who ate the coconut?!”
I knew I was in trouble, but my escape plan was simple—a quick, easy lie: “Not me!”
She continued her inquiry with my sisters, but after they denied it, we all heard the familiar words: “Wait till your Dad comes home!” My cover-up plan was doomed to failure, and later that evening I finally confessed.
No one had to teach me to lie. As the psalmist David admits, “I was brought forth in iniquity” (Ps. 51:5). But in his sin David knew where to go—to the God of abundant mercy who will cleanse us from our sin (vv.1-2).
When we recognize the ongoing reality of sin in our lives, we are reminded of our ongoing need for the presence of God and the power of His Word to keep us safe and spiritually sane. He is waiting for us to confess our faults and embrace the forgiveness and cleansing that He readily offers.
Remember, a refreshing plunge into God’s mercy awaits you on the other side of confessed sin!
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
Jesus, I come to Thee. —Sleeper
