Cherishing Sin (Psalm 66)

Today's full One Year Bible readings:
Numbers 36:1-Deut. 1:46 ~ Luke 5:29-6:11 ~ Psalm 66:1-20 ~ Proverbs 11:24-26

Psalm 66 is an amazing exhortation to "make His praise glorious"! It is a fresh reminder for me to continually honor the Lord with my words, thoughts, and actions.

16 Come and listen, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
19 but God has surely listened
and heard my voice in prayer.  
20 Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!
(Psalm 66:16-20)

It is particularly striking to me how the psalmist exemplifies telling the story of God. "Come and listen...let me tell you what he has done for me." We have much to learn from this simple statement - tell someone what God has done for you!

The psalmist continues with a sobering lyric about the repercussions of "cherishing sin". Sin is sticky; it's temporarily fulfilling, addictive, and totally destructive!  But, if our worship is to be of any value to the Lord and to us, we must break free of sin; there must not be any secret cherishing of evil in our hearts.

Today, as an act of worship, repent of every known sin in your life. Be made clean by His forgiveness and your repentance. Now, tell someone what God has done for you!