The Big Release

For today’s devotional, we will be looking at Psalm 32. This Psalm was not particularly highlighted in my Bible until it was time for me to share a devotional with my school group. Personally, I was not very familiar with it. Psalm 32’s main topic is on releasing sin and the joy that follows from that.

Let's take a look at the following scripture.

Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! 2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,[b] whose lives are lived in complete honesty! 3 When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. 4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude

5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude

6 Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. 7 For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. Interlude

8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. 9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”

10 Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord. 11 So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

I have a few questions…

1.) What is the job of a baseball batter?

2.) Follow up: What needs to happen for that action to happen?

If you’re playing baseball, in order for the game to begin, you need the pitcher to release the baseball so you can have your shot at swinging the bat and ultimately making a play. Without releasing the baseball there would be no game to watch or participate in.

I asked these questions to highlight that It’s not normal to hold things in forever. You can try your best to keep things in but you will get nowhere doing so. Just like a baseball game is frozen in motion until a pitch is thrown you can not freely run until your sin is released and you are walking in truth. You will be stuck until you release it. The enemy, however, tries to influence us that to release and let go all we will experience is shame, misunderstanding, and oppression in the way others view us. However, releasing sin opens doors to walk freely in God’s grace and move closer towards a pure pursuit of Jesus and furthering his kingdom with powerful vulnerability and testimony.

I want to share the main lessons from this Psalm that stuck out to me.

• Those who live in complete honesty (not partial honesty) will have joy.

• Sin is heavy. Sin deteriorates. Sin is like wearing a weighted vest in the Sahara desert. Eventually, it’s going to break you down. It eats away. The push and nudge to release is God’s hand of discipline guiding you.

• As hard as you might try you cannot hide from God any which way. He already knows. There is freedom when you stop exerting unnecessary energy trying to keep something hidden from the God who already knows. In confessing you will be forgiven as V5 mentions “all guilt will be gone.”

• God is our hiding place. Let us pray and release our sin asking for forgiveness. God is a safe place. You can confide in Him.

• God will lead you down the path he has created for you. Why not hand over the keys to someone who already has authority. God can turn everything around. CHOOSE to follow and be faithful, not stubborn and fighting be mindful.

So, friends, today is the day. Come out of your man-made hiding place, the one you have configured out of fear and slip into Gods hiding place. It is so much safer than how you may imagine it and for a change, the seeker will not expose you.

I would like to end with Luke 8:17

“For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.”