What Sin?

Living in the Spirit

P

June 30, 2021

Scripture Reading: Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
   Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
   to the voice of my supplications!

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
   Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
   so that you may be revered.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
   and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
   more than those who watch for the morning,
   more than those who watch for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord!
   For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
   and with him is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel
   from all its iniquities.

Psalm 130 is one all followers of God should memorize and recite daily as we strive to serve the Lord in our world today. We do not always get everything right. Many of us commit sins of omission rather than commission. The story of Jesus saving the woman caught in adultery is an excellent example of that. The religious leaders of the day were ready to stone her for her sin until Jesus instructs that the one without sin throw the first stone*. All her accusers turned and walked away. We do not know the woman’s back story, but we see this in our world today. With poverty rampant, we do not support quality education for all. Oklahoma ranks among the worst ten states for health outcomes, yet it took us eleven years and a vote of the people to approve Medicaid expansion providing health care for adults who previously had none. Enrollment in the program started June 1, 2020, and over 100,000 adults have been authorized.

Turning and walking away when we recognize we are imperfect is not the final answer. The definitive answer is moving into the lives of those who need a helping hand to become fully the persons God created them to be. Here are a few ways to recover from sins of omission:

  • Provide school supplies for a child or tutoring someone,
  • Help someone learn English as a second language to enable them to work,
  • Mentor youth left behind as they transition from the child welfare or juvenile justice system toward being productive adults are ways of recovering from those sins of omission.

Prayer: Lord, open our hearts and arms to helping others become whole as our interactions with them make us whole. Amen.

*See John 8:3-11

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.