O That Sin Might Be Shown To Be Sin To Me!

O that sin might be shown to be sin to me and appear in its own colors; that through the commandment may I see it to be sinful beyond measure, (Romans 7:13) because it is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4) As I have said often before, Lord, I desire to see sin as it is...not as I perceive it. I can too easily excuse and justify it as my own nature, as humanity, as unavoidable, as a part of the circumstances... Lord, I want to see it as You see in me...and I want, I truly do, to horrified by it! By every willful sin I have in effect said,

“I do not want this man to reign over me.” (Luke 19:14) I have said “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice?” (Exodus 5:2) And thus have I reviled the LORD, (Numbers 15:30), And cast his law behind my back. (Nehemiah 9:26)

Help me, oh dear Lord, help me as only You can help me, to see sin as it is.
I know that the only a]way this happens is for me to see Your character as contrasted with my own in You law. This will make me cry out to You for the mercy contained in Your Gospel! As an unredeemed man I called out for that mercy and You came and you pulled me from the miry clay. Now Lord, once again, I call and I call with full confidence that You will answer me...

"8 I cried out to You, O LORD; And to the LORD I made supplication: 9 “What profit is there in my blood, When I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth? 10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy on me; LORD, be my helper!” 11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever."

I will call and You will, indeed, answer me! Oh Father, I thank You that I can have that confidence despite my faulty character and my shaky ability to walk and obey... What the Law requires absolutely You did for me in the Person of the Lord Jesus. I thank you that in Jesus Christ you have made an everlasting covenant with me, your steadfast, sure love for David and all his descendants. (Isaiah 55:3) I am a part of that spiritual Israel by the grace and mercy of God.
Because of Your own purpose, and by Your own will You took me when You made me Your own! Likewise, You've trained me, convicted me, and kept me headed in the direction that I need to go. Lord, I have no capacity to do more than to offer up my praise and my thanks. What can a man give back to the God Who is all and has all? We can offer up our earnest praise -

To God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:21) To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17) To him be honor and eternal dominion; (1 Timothy 6:16) to him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:11).