Watch the 22-minute video of this 18-minute sermon and 4-minute song.

Sickness and trouble in life are sometimes a result of problems in our relationship with God. This is often true and often not true – sometimes sickness and trouble just arrives, even when (perhaps even especially when) our relationship with God is good. But when things are going wrong in life, when we struggle with illness, it is wise to reflect on where we are in our relationship with God.

Today’s message draws from Psalm 32, an extract of which I include below:

¹ Blessed is the one
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
² Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord does not count against them
    and in whose spirit is no deceit.

³ When I kept silent,
    my bones wasted away
    through my groaning all day long.
⁴ For day and night
    your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
    as in the heat of summer.

⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to you
    and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
    my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
    the guilt of my sin.

⁶ Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
    while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
    will not reach them.
⁷ You are my hiding place;
    you will protect me from trouble
    and surround me with songs of deliverance.

⁸ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

In the video message I talk through the message of this Psalm, drawing on the beautiful insights of Walter Brueggeman’s “The message of the Psalms: A theological commentary”.

The message of the Psalm is really simple:

I confessed – you forgave

That’s it