Friday, October 10
You, O Jehovah, are good and ready to forgive; and the loving-kindness to all those calling upon you is abundant.—Ps. 86:5.
There is power in prayer; it accomplishes much with God. David expressed his deep feelings in a prayer of faith that is beautifully preserved in the Psalms. (Ps. 32:1-5) As David admitted, trying to repress a guilty conscience wore him out! He apparently suffered ill effects mentally and physically and lost joy because of his failure to confess. What brought David pardon and relief? Only a confession to God. Jehovah answered David’s prayers and strengthened him to go ahead with his life and accomplish something worthwhile. Similarly, if you pray sincerely from the heart, you can be confident that Jehovah will give his keen attention to your supplication. If past wrongs trouble you, rectify them to the extent that you can and then believe Jehovah’s assurance that he has forgiven you! w13 1/15 4:12
Commentary
The Watchtower’s Daily Text comment focuses on individual sin and forgiveness. But according to God’s dealings with the Israelites a nation can be guilty of sin and need forgiveness too.
As regards God’s nation of people who will exist when Christ returns and the mountain of the house of Jehovah is lifted up, God speaks to them saying: “‘I have hated your new moons and your festivals. They have become a burden to me; I am tired of bearing them. And when you spread out your palms, I hide my eyes from you. Although you offer many prayers, I am not listening; Your hands are filled with blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove your evil deeds from my sight; stop doing bad. Learn to do good, seek justice, correct the oppressor, defend the rights of the fatherless child, and plead the cause of the widow. Come, now, and let us set matters straight between us,’ says Jehovah. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be made as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson cloth, they will become like wool.’”
As an organization the Watchtower Society surely stands guilty before God. They boast of their righteous standing before God at their “festivals” or conventions, making long public prayers, but all the while they give no consideration to the rights of sexually abused children – choosing instead to become their adversary at law. As regards bloodguilt, how many of God’s sheep have been stumbled by the Society’s wicked doings? How many have been disfellowshipped for disagreeing with their policies?
Only Jehovah’s strong hand can bring the needed discipline and correct and disabuse them of their wickedness, pride and hypocrisy.
