For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
and blameless when you pass judgment.
Indeed, I was born guilty,
a sinner when my mother conceived me. (Psalm 51:3-5)
Responsibility comes in all shapes and sizes, expectations and cultural understandings. Most of it revolves around work, output, self reliance, providing, and generally good citizenship. But as a parent there is one aspect of responsibility that I have realized is a key prayer point for me: responsibility over one’s sin. Unless we, unless our children understand the gravity of sin then we will never really appreciate the need for a Saviour. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross significantly loses meaning and value.
David in this Psalm is finally taking responsibility of committing adultery and murder. He confesses his sin to God and asks for forgiveness. He doesn’t blame Bathsheba, he doesn’t blame the architect, he doesn’t blame the weather nor the war: he says “Against you [God], you [God] alone, have I sinned”. We are born in sin, we are very inclined to sin and so are our children. In the same breath we are inclined to bling everyone else for our sins other than taking personal responsibility. It is not easy to get a child to say ‘I am sorry’; ‘I did it’ – yet it is the right thing to do.
Question of the Day: How will you teach your children today about taking personal responsibility for sin then asking for forgiveness?
PRAYER:
Father, against you and you only have I sinned. Forgive me Father. Help me to walk in obedience to you and your Word. Father as we learn to take responsibility for our sins and ask for forgiveness, help us to teach the same to our children; for the salvation of their souls. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen
