When God is Glad

A woman shared this with us at our Bible Study yesterday and I want to do the same by posting it here. It calmed my guilt and insecurity to know that Luke 15:7 says, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

In the pain of my confession it’s hard to recollect
the fleeting pleasures of my sin.
My shame hides Your face.
My anguish drowns out Your voice.
The lingering visions of what I’ve done haunt my soul
assault my heart
dominate my thoughts.
I want to undo what I’ve done.
I want to turn back time so that my thoughts would be pure
and my hands would be clean.
But lust was born and the deed was done.
I can’t undo what dark pleasure has wrought.
So I come to You – just as I am.
I bow before You – shamed and unclean.
The searching light of Your righteousness puts fear in my heart
and reveals more stains than I ever thought I had.
I bow before You because I’ve nowhere else to go.
I confess to You because I’ve no other hope.
There’s no place to run and there’s no place to hide.
I can’t escape what I have done.
I can’t erase my stains.
So in my grief I ask for one thing:
I long to hear You sing.
I long to see You rejoice.
For when my ears are graced with Your song
and when I am blessed by Your gladness
and when the angels celebrate – then I can be sure
that I have been given the greatest of gifts
the miracle of miracles
the thing that only love could purchase
the blessings that only love could offer;
Forgiveness.

(From Whiter Than Snow, Meditations on Sin and Mercy, by Paul David Tripp)

“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)