Who's Keeping Track?

“If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?” – Psalm 130:3

Have you ever wondered if God kept a record of all of our sins? I know it says He doesn’t, but what if He did? Just the thought of it makes me squirm in my seat. To think that God would keep account of everything we’ve ever said, done, thought, and how incriminating those details being known by others would cause me to have an anxiety attack. I remember someone once asking an audience I happened to be sitting in, “What if God had video of your life? What would we see?” Again….my thoughts were horror, dismay, shock, fear, and stress. Of course, it wouldn’t be very different than what we see at the movie theatre or on T.V. shows, but if everyone knew how really corrupt our hearts, how depraved our minds, how fractured our soul, most of us would be so overwhelmingly horrified with guilt, shame, and feelings of judgment. Or maybe you’d make a hit television show on MTV! The title would be, “insert your city name Shore” minus the whole “guilt, shame, fractured soul” part.

But I think it’s exactly what the psalmist is saying in this verse. Who could stand? Who could present themselves as righteous, justified, virtuous, or good? Answer: No one. And in that answer it makes us no different than the person next to us. In that answer it demonstrates God’s overwhelming love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Later, the psalmist even notes, “But with you there is forgiveness” (Psalm 130:4).

Knowing this simple truth of God’s character is so comforting. But if I do nothing with this knowledge then it doesn’t make me very wise. For wisdom is only attained if we apply the knowledge we’ve gained (hey, that rhymes!). If God’s promise to us is forgiveness if we come to Him in faith, then what should burst forth from us is thanksgiving, gratitude, worship, and an overwhelming joy that He has made us new.

But it doesn’t just end there. Forgiveness is the heart of God He most assuredly looks upon us with compassion. He has no judgment for those who come in faith. But what about us? We’re so willing and quick to accept His forgiveness, yet were so hesitant to extend that forgiveness to others. We say things like, “Well, you don’t know how they’ve wronged me.” True, I don’t. But I know how we’ve wronged God, yet He so gracious to us holding no record of all the stuff we say, do, and think. We’re so quick to cast judgment on someone else forgetting that nobody gave that job to us. Who could stand if a record of our wrongs were kept? Answer: No one! Not a single one of us. And for that there is much rejoicing, freedom, and worship of our God’s great love for His people.