June 12. Psalm 51
David had broken some very big commandments. He’d lied. He’d committed adultery. He’d murdered. It doesn’t get much worse than that, does it? He had lived in that miserable place of remorse and hiding because of that sin and I suspect it was almost a relief when the prophet Nathan showed up and called him out on it. Finally, someone said the truth to the king. No more tippy toeing around it, pretending having Bathsheba as the newest queen was just your average acquisition of a bride. The servants might have kept their mouths shut in order to keep their jobs and not make the king angry, but Nathan worked for God. He cut through the morass of lies and deceit and told David point blank that he had sinned, and God was angry.
Ever been there? Ever been wracked with shame, trying to pretend you are a “good guy” when you know you did a terrible thing? I have. It’s an awful place to be! There is no peace in hiding sin and thinking you can hide from God. David’s psalm is an incredibly accurate picture of both the problem of hiding and the relief and freedom in “coming clean” from sin. It’s really a wonderful model of how we should confess sin and run to God asking for the forgiveness He offers so freely to all who come! It moves me every time I read it. It reminds me to run swiftly to God when I sin. There is no need to wallow!! That wastes time I could be spending in service to Him! I don’t ever want to put distance between me and my loving Father. Let’s keep short accounts, friends. Let’s run to Him right away with our shame and guilt and be washed clean, ready to serve Him clothed in His righteousness again.
My verse: Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”
My response: You are far from the prideful and self-sufficient, but so near to the broken-hearted! Lord, when I’ve sinned help me to swiftly come to You in full acknowledgement, helpless unless You restore me. How amazed I am that You always do restore a broken and repentant heart. “I need Thee, Oh I need Thee … every hour I need Thee …”
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God, thank You for forgiveness of my sins. It is such a comfort to know
that when I sin and ask for forgiveness and truly repent
this is what you require. You will not hold it against me and
You still love me. I am so thankful for this reassurance.
In Jesus’ powerful name I pray. Amen
Candie – I think it is incredible and wonderful that God, indeed, does not hold it against us! Because so often fallible humans do!! God totally forgives and wipes it out as far as the east is from the west! Oh, the incredible and unfathomable goodness of God!