Secrets exposed

I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden . . . And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

— Psalm 32:5

For many years, Lake Okeechobee hid its secrets in thick waters and layers of muck. But in 2007, drought shrank the Florida lake to its lowest level since officials began keeping records in 1932, unveiling hundreds of years of history. Raking through the bottom of the lake, archaeologists found artifacts, pottery, human bone fragments, and even boats.

After King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and planned the death of her husband, Uriah, he covered his sin by denying them and not confessing them. He probably went many months conducting business as usual, even performing religious duties. As long as David cloaked his sinful secrets, he experienced God’s crushing finger of conviction and his strength evaporated like water in the heat of summer (Ps. 32:3-4).

When the prophet Nathan confronted David about his sin, God’s conviction was so great that David confessed his sins to God and turned away from them. Immediately the Lord forgave David and he experienced His mercy and grace (2 Sam. 12:13; Ps. 32:5; Ps. 51).

Let’s be careful not to hide our sin. When we uncover our sins by confessing them to God, we are covered with His forgiveness.    — Marvin Williams

Lord, help me to expose my sin,

Those secret faults that lurk within;

I would confess them all to Thee;

Transparent I would always be.

— D. De Haan

READ: Psalm 32:1-7

Give God what He desires most a broken and repentant heart.

The Bible in one year:

• Jeremiah 3-5

• 1 Timothy 4