Friday, 12 June 2020
Pass Me Not
Prathab V

Psalm 19:12-14 (NLT)

12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt
and innocent of great sin.
14 May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

In the spring of 1868, after giving a message and singing hymns while visiting inmates in prison, the famed blind hymn writer Fanny Crosby heard the woeful cry of a prisoner. “Good Lord, do not pass me by!” pleaded the prisoner to God, asking for mercy.

That evening, goaded by a fellow pilgrim and musician, William Doane, Crosby added another hymn to her collection of over 8,500 gospel songs. The latest addition became the well-known hymn “Pass Me Not”.

Playing the song on my guitar the other day, my mind raced to Psalm 19:12-14 and to the words of the prisoner. I am not sure what crime the prisoner was charged with. Perhaps he was an innocent man, who had been unfairly framed for a crime he did not commit. Or perhaps he was a prisoner of conscience. Or worst, he could be was a vile man who committed a terrible crime. I do not know. The prisoner is nameless and unknown.

To me, there is nothing shameful for being sent to prison, as many prophets and writers of the Bible were also thrown in prison. Daniel, John the Baptist, Paul, and Peter are just a few of the famous Bible personalities who ended up in jail.
So, I am not ashamed of those who have gone to prison. Whatever the reasons are, they are all lives for whom Christ died. It is worth sharing the gospel to them with a piece of bread. Sometimes, I think that the unconverted outside the prison could be in a “prison of sin”, compared to those who are converted in prison.

It is sin that results in “imprisonment” of individual minds. Sin lurks around us, within us (v12). Sin aims to devour us. Hence, it is wise and prudent for us to be vigilant and ever watchful.

David, the author of Psalm 19, confesses that he has no way of knowing sins hidden in his heart. He pleads with God to cleanse him of his hidden faults (v12). David also pleads to God to keep him from deliberate sins(v13). David should know. Despite being a king and an immensely powerful man, sin still corrupted David’s soul. From David’s view, he sees the way out of his situation is only by ensuring that the words of his mouth and the meditation of his heart be ever pleasing to his Rock and Redeemer.

Jesus, our Rock and Redeemer, is ever ready to listen and forgive us. Only come to Him in repentance and with a contrite heart. He will not certainly pass by a repentant sinner. We can take comfort in Him today that He will forgive a repentant sinner.

If you have been struggling with some secret sin for some time, perhaps it is a good time to bow down to Him now and confess your sins. He will certainly not pass you by. The Lord’s grace be with you always

Prayer:

Lord, I cry out to you, for there no one like You. Teach me to understand and treasure the heavy price that you paid to redeem me. Please keep me away from deliberate sins. I want to change Lord. Help me. May my words and my heart ever be turned towards You and You alone. In Jesus’ name I ask. Amen.

每日灵粮
星期五, 2020年6月12日
标题：莫把我弃掉
作者：帕拉他伯(Prathab V.)
翻译：巫惠如姐妹

詩篇19:12-14
谁能知道自己的错失呢？
愿你赦免我隐而未现的过错。
求你拦阻仆人不犯任意妄为的罪，
不容这罪辖制我，我便完全，免犯大罪。
耶和华我的磐石，我的救赎主啊，
愿我口中的言语，心里的意念，在你面前蒙悦纳。

在1868年的春天，著名的失明赞美诗作者芬尼·克罗斯比（Fanny Crosby）在探视监狱囚犯时分享信息并唱完赞美诗后，听到了一名囚犯的哀哭：「主啊，别撇弃我！」囚犯恳求上帝施恩怜悯。

那晚，在音乐家威廉·多恩（William Doane）的陪同下，克罗斯比为她八千五百多首福音歌曲中增添了另一首赞美诗，而这首诗歌就是有名的 《莫把我弃掉》（Pass Me Not）。

前几天，当我用吉他弹着这首歌时，心中立即想到了詩篇19：12-14和囚犯的那句话。 我不晓得囚犯被控的罪名是什么。 也许他是一個无辜的人，为他沒有犯下的罪行而受到不公平的陷害。 也许他受良心谴责。 或者更糟的是，他可能是个卑鄙的犯人。 我不知道。 囚犯无名无姓。

对我来说，被送进监狱没有什么可耻的，因为许多圣经的先知和作者也被关进监狱。 但以理、施洗约翰、保罗和彼得都是一小部分入狱的著名圣经人物。

所以，我不为那些入狱的人感到羞耻。 不管监禁的原因是什么，基督为他们而死。 用一块面包与他们分享福音是值得的。 有时，我认为，与那些在监狱里信主的人相比，也许很多信徒虽在监狱外，但他们可能都被困锁在「罪恶的监狱」。

正是罪恶导致个人思想上的「监禁」。 罪潜伏在我们周围，在我们内心深处(12节)。 罪的目的是吞噬我们。 因此，明智和谨慎的对策就是随时随地保持警惕。

诗篇19的作者大卫承认，他无法知道内心隐藏的罪恶。 他恳求上帝赦免他隐而未现的过错(12节)。 大卫还恳求上帝别让他明知故犯(13节)。 大卫知道，尽管身为国王又极有权势，罪恶仍然腐蚀着他的灵魂。 从大卫的观点来看，摆脱这个处境的唯一方法就是确保口中的言语和心中的意念蒙上帝喜悦。

耶稣，我们的磐石和救赎主，永远愿意倾听和原谅我们。 以忧伤痛悔的心来到他面前。 他肯定不会撇弃一个悔改的罪人。我们可以放心，因为他一定会原谅一个悔改的罪人。

如果你因为某些隐藏的罪苦苦挣扎了一段时间，或许现在正是向上帝低头认罪的好时机。 他绝不会撇弃你。 主的恩典永远与你同在。

祈祷：
主啊，你伟大无比。 教我理解和珍惜你为救赎我所付出的沉重代价。 别让我明知故犯。 主，我想改变。 帮助我。 愿我的言语和意念只转向你。奉主耶稣的名祷告，阿们。