From Time to Time (Guest Blogger)

I was in the car listening to a radio preacher, a great way to spend my windshield time, when I heard the preacher say, “From time to time we are all going to fail; we are going to fall short.” When I heard this, my immediate response was (and I even said it aloud), “Are you kidding me?”

Since the Garden, the serpent has attempted to diminish God’s role while at the same time convincing man that he is more important, capable, and self-reliant than he could ever be. It is not surprising that Christ has been reduced to a helper, not a savior, and sin has been redefined as “falling short” or a “time to time failure”.

The Scriptures paint a much different picture. David in Psalms 51:5 writes “Behold I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” And previously, in verse 3 he stated, “For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.”

David, a man after God’s own heart, doesn’t speak of sin lightly. Although sin is failure, and it is falling short, it is treated in Scripture with more gravity than a time to time unsuccessful attempt at doing right.

We must come to understand and accept that we all have an intimate relationship with sin. Sin permeates our being, our thoughts, and our actions on a daily basis. In our humility, we are guilty of pride. Our love is never perfect, and our faith carries doubt. We do not simply need God to help us, but rather we need to become utterly dependant upon Him, especially in the areas where we have been gifted and blessed.

Our prayer on a daily basis should be likened to that of David in Psalms 51:1 where he cries, “Have Mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies BLOT OUT my transgressions”.

“Wash me; Pardon me; Cleanse me; Restore me; Blot out my iniquities; Hide my face from my sins; Deliver me from bloodguilt and death,” – This is the language of the passage.

It is clear from this passage that David did not want to look at his sin. He wanted to be hidden from it. May this be our approach to sin, and may we come before the throne of grace in utter humility and repentance. And may we never think that we only sin from time to time.

Michael Silva http://backalleygospel.com/blog