Cries from the Heart
/April 6
Psalm 130
“Out of the depths I cry to you.”
Illustration by Gustave Doré
Have you ever felt broken over sin? Have you ever been so broken you wept aloud? Have you ever been so broken you cried out to the Lord for his forgiveness? Our sin should break us. We should hurt over our sin. Why? Because we worship a holy, sinless God who is grieved over sin. God is grieved over sin so much so that he sent Christ to take away sin. The psalmist writes in Psalm 130, “Out of the depths I cry to you. . . . Let your ear be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy” (Psalm 130:1–2). He goes on to say, “my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning” (Psalm 130:6). In the ancient world, watchmen would sit on the city gate and protect the city. They longed for the morning because only then was their work complete. Why should we wait for the Lord with such enthusiasm as a city watchman? Because we know that God is merciful and gracious to forgive us.
While we can be confident that God will forgive sin, we must not forget that forgiveness of sin requires a response: repentance. While repentance is more than remorse and sorrow, it must begin there. When we recognize our sin, we should be broken over it. This brokenness should lead not to a temporary turning away from sin but a permanent life change away from sin and toward the Lord. While our sin should break us, we should still be hopeful. We wait on the Lord because we are confident he is faithful to forgive sin. May we be people characterized and known by our repentance before the Lord.
Reflection
- Are you broken over your sin? Why or why not?
- We wait on the Lord because he forgives sin. How does God’s faithfulness to his word affect how you worship him?
- Where in your life do you need to fully repent of your sin, not just being remorseful but walking away from this sin or sinful habit?