Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Tues., 8/24/10 Devotion (Ps. 32:1)

Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 32:1, where we read these words:

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."

If sins are covered--and they can only be atoned for by apprehending the benefits of Christ's sacrifice of Himself on the cross, by faith--then a person is truly blessed. If a soul lives in unforgiveness before God, that soul can in no way be truly happy, or at peace.

Forgiven people are not perfect people--they continue to sin, while they live here. But the guilt of their trespasses is forever removed, and their iniquity is not "imputed" to them, (see v. 2). Instead, Christ's perfect righteousness is imputed to them. Who are these blessed people? Believing churchmen--who do not trust in themselves, but in Jesus alone.

[Puritan quote of the day: "We then, who are Christians, having made a vow to Christ in baptism, and so often renewed it in the blessed sacrament [of the Lord's Supper], should, with much contentment, choose rather to suffer than violate our sacred oath." --Thomas Wat-
son, in, "The Art of Divine Contentment"]