Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;

2     Lord, hear my voice.

Let your ears be attentive

    to my cry for mercy.

3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,

    Lord, who could stand?

4 But with you there is forgiveness,

    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,

    and in his word I put my hope.

6 I wait for the Lord

    more than watchmen wait for the morning,

    more than watchmen wait for the morning.

7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,

    for with the Lord is unfailing love

    and with him is full redemption.

8 He himself will redeem Israel

    from all their sins. – Psalm 130

This psalm is a great help in understanding and applying the part of Ephesians we are looking at this week.  Being told to be kind, compassionate and forgiving people who walk in love is all very well if you are feeling like doing that, but we often aren’t.  More often we are in the mood of the psalmist, feeling down, feeling guilty and having to acknowledge that God would be completely right to condemn us.  Like the psalmist we can call to God from these depths of despondency and frustration and find forgiveness.  Forgiveness leads to “fear” or “reverence” for God.  As we spend some time asking for his help, we are reminded that our Lord is full of lovingkindness (verse 7).  At the end of the psalm he talks of finding redemption which means a price paid to set us free. This of course was done for us by Jesus at the cross.  Focusing our attention on our Lord Jesus and his saving work leads from a burdened guilty attitude to a grateful loving one. Then we have at least some chance of being “imitators of God as loved children.” 

David Johnston – Creek Road Campus