Remember, Repent, Reform

O God, thou knowest my foolishness;
and my sins are not hid from thee. ~ Psalms 69:5

This is one of my favorite passages in Scripture--not because it expresses a happy thought, but because it's so true, and something I need to repeat every day in prayer.

Of course, it's necessary and right for a believer to daily remember the countless blessings he or she receives at God's hand, and to give thanks and praise for them. We are so grateful to have His guidance and comfort in our lives!  But sometimes this sense of well-being can lead to complacency, pride, and even arrogance. Seeing the spiritual, moral, and temporal travail of so many around us, we may start to feel as though we are impervious to troubles, that Satan can't touch us, and that we are and always will be superior to those others who haven't gotten, as we have, "right with God."  Our prayers may start to sound like those of the Pharisee: "God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican" (Luke 18:11) -- and less like those of the publican, who, "standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner."  (Luke 18:13)

The publican, who was the one who went away justified (Luke 18:14), had it right. As conscious as we should be of our blessings and of the things that are right in our lives, we should be at least as mindful of our sins and shortcomings, and truly sorry for them. We should always remember that the good things come only through the Lord's grace and forgiveness, and that they are not "earned" in the conventional sense by anything we have done. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We need to confess this in humble and contrite prayer ever day, begging God for the wisdom, patience, and strength to do better. Repentance also needs to include a firm resolve to live in a more righteous and Christ-like way, and real action on our part to carry out that promise. And all this should be capped off with an ever-present thankfulness to our Lord for His great mercy, without which we would be irretrievably lost.

So, pay attention every day to the "three Rs": Remember (our sins), Repent (sorrow and confession), and Reform (actually change conduct). In doing so we should never fall into the self-righteous arrogance of the distinguished Pharisee, but walk away justified, like the "lowly" publican--and happy in Christ's embrace!

Tom Fleming

Songs of Praises