07/02/2011 - An unnecessary prayer

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“Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us! Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us, for we have been brought very low.” (Psalm 79:8)

The nation of Israel had transgressed: they weren’t obedient to the Lord. We haven’t kept His commandments either, just like the Israelites did then. Unfortunately, we tend to take attitudes that don’t please God such as undertaking commitments forbidden by the Word of God or not bowing down low enough before the sovereignty of the Most High. Well, that shouldn’t happen; yet, since we’re still in the flesh the good we will to do, we do not do; but the evil we should not to do, that we practice (Romans 7:19).

The psalmist prayed for the Most High not to remember his wickedness or that of his people; yet, we don’t need to say that kind of prayer because if we confess our sins, He’s faithful and righteous to forgive them and to purify us from all iniquities (I John 1:9). He says that He’ll never recall our errors.

The sacred writer felt forgiveness was something utterly urgent, that’s why he asked the Lord to make haste. However, we don’t need to ask that because the Lord has already come, He carried all our iniquities and said that everybody that believed in Him would do exactly what He did. Jesus didn’t pray all the time when He was tempted by the devil, but He cried out to our Father to deliver Him from those evil attacks which, by the way, were extremely dreadful. He tackled that problem by rebuking the enemy who even got to the point of using the very Word of God to try to confuse our Master. Put a stop to whatever it is that’s assaulting you.

Because he was waiting for the day when the Lord would be merciful to him and to his people, the psalmist cried for Him to come speedily to them. We must believe in the Work of Christ in our favor and take our stand in Him. God was already merciful to us when He sent His only Son to die in our place; we need to use His great mercy today as well. Those who spend too much time praying and crying out for the divine forgiveness are over two thousand years delayed. God won’t repeat something He did in the past; He already poured His Grace onto humankind before. Now, it’s up to us to believe or not in what was done for us. Those who despise the great Work performed on the Calvary will realize that nothing else can be done by God.

The Israelites were brought very low because the Grace of God hadn’t been poured on humankind yet. Nevertheless, with the coming of Jesus, God offered His power to operate in favor of those that fear Him. Christ told everyone who sought Him to be high-spirited. He came to deliver us from the empire of darkness, to destroy “the night” and to make a new “day” break. Walking with Christ is about becoming more than a winner in every way (Romans 8:37). The secret is to take His precious Work for you upon yourselves.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares