Daily Affirmations - Day 3 - A Teachable Spirit - You are Justified

Day 3: You are justified

The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving

Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man!" (2 Samuel 12:7).

Lord our God, although You are a God of love, You are also a God of justice. We dare not show contempt for the riches of Your kindness, forbearance, and patience, [by] not realizing that God's kindness (goodness) is intended to lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4).

The apostle John gives us a both sobering and a steadying reminder, If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us (1 John 1:8-10).

Father, You have shown us what true repentance is— a heartfelt and wholehearted agreement that we have violated Your commands, and a complete and genuine turning around, and away from our sin.

Help us O Lord, to have, like David, a teachable spirit, so that when You confront us in our wrong, (2 Samuel 12:1-9), we would respond with heartfelt repentance, "God, You are right [and I am wrong]" (Psalm 51:4).

David left us a record of the misery of unacknowledged, unconfessed sin and covered up iniquity: When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped  as in the heat of summer... (Psalm 32:3-4).

But he goes on to describe the flood of relief that comes from confession and repentance, 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 (Psalm 32:5).

Father, You made us, and You speak into our innermost being. Help us to listen to any heavy weight or malaise in our spirit that comes from unacknowledged, unconfessed sin. Remind us that Your voice is not one of condemnation, but of invitation to repentance and relationship through true confession. Lead our hearts to the humble contrition in the prayer of David:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight; so You are right in Your verdict and justified when You judge… (Psalm 51:1-4).

Lead us to the restoration the psalmist describes: Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit (Psalm 32:1-2).

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