Daily Lesson for December 17, 2014

Today's Daily Lesson is from Psalm 119 verses 58 and 59:

58 I entreat your favor with all my heart;
be gracious to me according to your promise.
59 When I think on my ways,
I turn my feet to your testimonies.

Last week our church hosted a conversation with one of our former ministers who is now dying of cancer. Always straight to the point, he titled the evening: "A Conversation About Death and Dying with a Dying Man". It was holy ground with a holy man.

At one point in the evening I asked him what we should do with regret. He became very serious, and said he believes there is no place for regret, as regret is a form of recondemning and repunishing ourselves -- the very opposite of grace and the acceptance of grace.

He was absolutely right. Christ has died for us. He is risen, and he sits at the right hand of God, interceding on our behalf (Romans 8:34). He does not condemn us; how dare we condemn ourselves!  No, let us turn our feet to His testimonies -- away from ourselves and our self-loathing, and toward the one who is the "Father of all mercies" (2 Cor. 1:3). His grace really is sufficient (2 Cor 12:9).

There is no place for regret in our lives. When it creeps in -- as it shall always try -- let us turn and run to God's promises. God is greater than our sin; and his mercy far outweighs our misdeeds.