Tuesday July 5, 2011

Read Psalm 51

King David is presented in Scripture as the ideal King but he too had sins to repent of. Apart from Jesus, none of us is perfect. David, rather than going to war, decided to grant himself leave. He spent the evening wandering atop the palace. In the distance he spied a beautiful woman bathing. Instead of turning away he lusted! He lusted so much that he sent for this woman and she fell pregnant! What to do? David did what comes naturally to each of us. He sought to cover up the affair. He called Uriah, the woman’s husband from war and organised to have him killed in battle. Adultery and murder sure don’t look good on a King’s résumé.

Psalm 51 is David’s repentant cry to the Lord. He tells us some hard hitting truths. First and foremost we learn that all sin is sin against God. Whether we’re lusting or gambling or fighting or stealing or eating chocolate (is that a sin? of course not!) we are sinning directly against God. ’Against you, you only have I sinned,’ cries David.

Remember this when you are tempted. Whatever the temptation before you, indulgence is a sin against the one true living God who loves you and has blessed you with sorrow. Do you want to spit in the face of God? Do you want to disappoint the very God who sent Jesus to die on the cross for yours sins? Do you want to bring shame upon the God who lavished you with His grace?

David realised what every child wants to realise - that our heavenly Father is pleased with a broken and contrite heart. When we realise the depth of our sin and the wickedness of it, God is genuinely pleased and satisfied because such realisation leads to long term repentance. But what stops me making such a realisation? Pride! A desire to sin again! Self justification for my sins (it’s never my fault because…!).

When we come to God with our sins we need to be convinced that what occurred or what we did/thought/said was actually sinful. We need to be certain that God is right while we are wrong on this issue. Nothing else will produce genuine repentance.

Just think for a moment what you are really saying when you say sorry to God. There’s often a text and an unspoken subtext. The things we actually say are written first below and the things we mean are written second.

Sorry God - I’m sorry you don’t like that but I have no intention of stopping.

Forgive me Father - until I do it again.

Sorry God - but so and so made me do it.

It’s much easier and less painful to agree with God and to come with a broken and contrite heart admitting that He was right and you were wrong. Ask for forgiveness without making excuses or justifications. Throw yourself at the mercy of the Lord and be amazed. Read 1 John 1:9 and write down what the Lord promises to do for us when we ask him for forgiveness.

Prayer:

V Pray that you will be set free to be a true and genuine disciple of Christ Jesus. Pray that you will see sin minimised in your life; pray this for others in your congregation.

V Pray that God will bring healing and wholeness to those in the congregation who are suffering.