Shame

This has become a shameful place.  Forgive us Lord for the injustice that is being done in our midst!
The video clip speaks for itself. God's Word then speaks powerfully in situations like this.

Psalm 10

[10:1] Why, O LORD, do you stand far away?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

[2] In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.
[3] For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul,
and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD.
[4] In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him;
all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
[5] His ways prosper at all times;
your judgments are on high, out of his sight;
as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
[6] He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.”
[7] His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
[8] He sits in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
[9] he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket;
he lurks that he may seize the poor;
he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.
[10] The helpless are crushed, sink down,
and fall by his might.
[11] He says in his heart, “God has forgotten,
he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”

[12] Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand;
forget not the afflicted.
[13] Why does the wicked renounce God
and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?
[14] But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation,
that you may take it into your hands;
to you the helpless commits himself;
you have been the helper of the fatherless.
[15] Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
call his wickedness to account till you find none.

[16] The LORD is king forever and ever;
the nations perish from his land.
[17] O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
[18] to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
(Psalm 10 ESV)

Psalms for the Simple: Part 6 of 150. "box of tissues anyone?"

Have you ever been so broken by sin that you've cried? Like, not just a tear or an emotional raising up of the hair on the back of your neck or flushed face, but actually a genuine weeping over the sins of your life, past and present?
This is a hard pill to swallow, but we are sinners. If you are reading this blog and don't think you are a sinner, it isn't with delight that I inform you of this OBVIOUS truth. Sin sucks. It absolutely is the reason for all evil and strife in this world and our pathetic lives. This is the sad truth, and yes, it can and will lead many to tears.
I remember vividly going to a conference and in the middle of a powerful worship song, the Lord revealed in the most loving way what was hindering me from drawing near to Him. I wept like a blabbering idiot! At that point though, I could have cared less about those around me because the Lord was the only one I was concerned with about my tears.
More and more, as I'm getting older, I'm finding myself more and more torn and broken about sin in my life. In case any of you thought sanctification is an easy process, let me inform you of another hard pill to swallow: it's not. I'm so thankful though that the ground is level at the foot of the cross. Christ's blood shed on account of my sin is both a joyful and horrific realization. Joyful that I'm saved, horrific to know that even if I were to only sin one single time in my life, I caused him to die that awful death.
Here's where we get into Psalm 6. Read it and tell me if you think David was broken about sin in his life? It is clear right from the beginning that he is broken about some sin in his life, even though it is not mentioned. He is broken and repentant. Why repentant? Because he asks for rebuke. It would do the reader well to understand that true repentance is a complete turning away from that sin BUT ALSO accepting and working through the consequences.
Choose to sin, choose to suffer. Though we are saved from the ultimate eternal penalty of sin because of Christ, we are not saved from the earthly consequences of our actions. True repentance isn't a courtroom settlement it is a plea of, "guilty as charged, I beg for your mercy!"
One thing we will see, and already have in the life of David is that he knows what true repentance is. We certainly have seen that he has sinned but has faith in God who is his salvation knowing and believing his Savior to come.
It is ok to be broken over sin, even to the point of being a babbling idiot of a cryer. David is probably considered one of the most manly of men in history, and says himself in verse 6 "I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping."
Starting at verse 8 through the end of this Psalm, David clings to the only thing he can: The Lord's ear. God is quick to hear a repentant heart and if you are truly repentant over sin, you can be assured that He hears and FORGIVES you because of your savior taking that penalty. David knows this and it is very evident in Verse 10 that he has his eye on the big picture: God is not mocked, his fame will NEVER be diminished and NO ONE can ultimately stand as an enemy to the Almighty God.
And to think that he reaches out and extends us the gift of eternal life and forgiveness in Christ Jesus? PRAISE GOD!
Some of you need to hear this today: Repent with the big picture in mind. Choose to Sin Choose to suffer. It is ok to be broken over sin, but remember the goodness and the greatness of God in his free gift of salvation to those who receive it by faith in Christ.

Do you have anything to repent of today? The ground is level at the foot of the cross. Don't continue on always thinking everything is fine when you may know it is not. Cast your cares and acknowledge your weakness before the Lord and watch Him come in and lift your heart reminding you of Jesus taking that sin away and motivating you and giving you the power in the Holy Spirit to turn from it. Praise the Lord!