Psalm 51:3
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
I realise that many things about coronavirus have been
terrible for many people, and I don’t want to make light of that in any way. Nevertheless, the Covid lockdown has also been useful, for me at least, in one way. It has shown me my sin more clearly! Perhaps the same is true for you.
Being in close contact with the same people for an extended time with no escape has probably reminded us that they are sinners but it also reveals that we are, too. I've seen my selfishness, my laziness, my impatience,
my desire to build my own kingdom in which things are done my way, even more clearly than usual over the past few months.
For those living alone the experience may be different, but I imagine that there have still been many opportunities for sin, and many temptations to use the greater privacy for ungodliness instead of godliness.
When we look back honestly over the past few months, or even the past few days, can we say with David 'I know my transgressions ... my sin is always before me'?
It's uncomfortable, isn't it? Looking straight at our sin
and calling it what it is. It's much easier to try and ignore it, or explain it away ... 'I'm sorry I shouted, it's just that I'm so tired.' 'I know I shouldn't gossip about her behaviour, but I’m just so angry about it' Tiredness, hunger, suffering, strong emotions and many other things make us more prone to sin; they can provide both the opportunity and the motive. Nevertheless, sin is still sin. We might think we'll feel better about it if we hide it, or explain it away, or call it something else. But the only thing that can actually take our sin away is forgiveness through the death of Jesus. And the first step to forgiveness is to see our sin for what it is. Only then can we confess it honestly, to ourselves and to God, who already sees it much more clearly than we do. We have nothing to lose by being honest about our sin, as David is here. So, if you are very conscious of your sin today, bring it to God, knowing that he is not surprised by it. And if you find it hard to recognise your sin, ask God to open your eyes to see it more clearly, so that you can call it what it is and bring it to him for forgiveness.
