20 Oct: Ruins Within
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin. Psalm 32:5
Scripture Reading: Psalm 32:1–5; Matthew 7:1–5
When I was a teenager, my mom painted a mural across our living room wall, and it stayed up for several years. It showed an ancient Greek scene: a temple in ruins, its white columns lying on their sides, a fountain falling apart, and a statue with pieces missing. I would stare at that architecture, which had once been so beautiful, and wonder what had brought it down. The question stuck with me, and later I found myself reading about great civilizations that thrived for a time and then crumbled from the inside.
The sin and senseless destruction around us today can be hard to take in. It’s natural to explain it by pointing at the people and nations who have turned away from God. But shouldn’t we look at ourselves too? Scripture warns against hypocrisy, against calling others to turn from their sin while never taking an honest look at our own hearts (Matthew 7:1-5).
Psalm 32 asks us to see our own sin and confess it. Only when we admit it can we be free of the guilt and know the joy of real repentance (vv. 1-5). And once we’re glad in the complete forgiveness God gives us, we have hope to share with others who are struggling with sin too.
By: Eliana Morell
Go deeper on: Ruins Within
Reflect & Pray
What’s the first step in identifying sin in your life? Why is it vital that you confess your sin to God?
Father God, I thank You for the gift of Your forgiveness that eliminates the guilt of my sin. Help me to first examine my own heart before I concern myself with the sins of others.