Shame and Grace

Prayer: "Make me to know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day long. Remember Your mercy, O Lord, and Your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of Your goodness, O Lord!" Psalm 25:4-7 

Read: Psalm 25

Think about It: Mary and Joseph are placed, by God, into a potentially shameful situation and yet both of them respond with grace and quiet peace. What we don't know is what went on in their hearts and minds before they came to that peace. What kind of turmoil coursed through their veins when they first heard about the Baby that was on the way? What kinds of plans were conjured up in their minds in those moments of uncertainty before they settled into God's will for them?

Psalm 25 provides some answers for us when we are in a place of unrest and distress. It happens all the time. Most certainly you have not found yourself in a place of virgin pregnancy. But you may have received a difficult diagnosis or been sorely disappointed by someone important in your life. Perhaps you've lost a job that you've had for years and were counting on to get you to retirement. Maybe you've lost a friendship for reasons you don't understand, yet the pain is very real. We can all point to places where pain had taken over our lives and we don't know what to do about it. Psalm 25 opens with words that encourage us to turn immediately to God. To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in You I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for You shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

He will deal with our shame. Hold that thought for moment - He deals with our shame. Shame is a tough one, for it is filled with negative self-talk and recrimination. Sadly there are many who take delight in our shame for it makes them feel like our shame makes them better. [Which we all know to be a lie, but sometimes we are deceived anyway.] Interestingly these words also tell us what will happen to those who hurt us and are called enemies. God will deal with them. We don't get to! That must be left in the hands of God. Jesus' blood covers our shame and God takes our enemies into His capable hands. Once again, we simply rest in Him. Mary and Joseph took these words to heart as we see them gracefully handle a difficult circumstance.

Prayer: "Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep His covenant and His testimonies." Psalm 25:8-10


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