Tax Day

OK, I know that was days ago now, but that is just how slow my mind works sometimes!  Anyway, I was reading in Psalm 130 and it made me think of Tax Day.

It started with the first verse, "Lord, I cry out to you because I'm suffering so deeply." That's fairly accurate for Tax Day wouldn't you say?  But that wasn't the end of it.  In verses 3 & 4 David writes,

"Lord, suppose you kept a record of sins.  

Lord, who then wouldn't be found guilty?
But you forgive.
So people have respect for you."

 Doesn't that just sound like the IRS?  They keep records of your income, your family, your charitable giving, your investments, and other stuff (plus your health care before too long.)  They know a lot about you!  I have always known that if I ever do anything wrong I will get caught.  That is exactly what my wife and I have prayed for our kids, too. "God if they do anything wrong be sure they get caught."  So if I were to do anything shady with my income taxes, I would get caught.

Then I think, if the IRS keeps that kind of records, imagine God's!  If God kept a record of sins; ooohhh, that's not a pleasant thought!  You know nothing is going to get lost in the filing.  He knows EVERYTHING.  That is a double edge sword; its a relief that God knows every good thing I have done.  Sometimes other people don't seem to notice that. But its a bit scary to think that He also knows all the other stuff I've done or thought in secret.  He knows all the stuff I should have done but didn't.  That is not a pretty image in my mind.

Some people think that our salvation will be determined by God stacking up all the good stuff we have done and all the bad stuff and then seeing which pile is bigger.  I for one am THRILLED that is not true!  None of us, and certainly not me, would have a "good" stack that could even come close to the pile of sin we have accumulated!

So I love verse 4; "But You forgive!" ( I added the exclamation point cause that is HUGE!)  God forgives!  (insert raucous cheers and shouts of hooray) (throw confetti and bang a drum)  (do something that shows how excited you are because this is bigger than anything you will ever celebrate in your life!)

In His grace, God chooses to forgive every sin I confess to Him.  I don't have to file any papers in triplicate, I don't have to drive to an office hundreds of miles away to explain myself.  The penalty for all my sin has been paid by Jesus.  My debt is stamped, PAID IN FULL.

The more I reflect on that, the better my day gets!  And it works for you, too! Amazing!