Seek Restoration

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." Psalm 51:10-12

David is writing here and is doing so; after the prophet Nathan came to him and told him a story about a man who had done terrible things, and David was incensed about that man's moral failure and suggested he be punished by death, and then asked Nathan who the man was and Nathan told him it was him. Oh the impact when you don't see it coming. You know the story; he had an adulterous relationship with Bathsheba, and then murdered her husband to cover it up. No sin is too great to be forgiven.

David was contrite, broken and remorseful. He is literally undone and at that point of total vulnerability he writes Psalm 51, which has been the source of numerous worship songs. We can certainly identify with his pain, sorrow and repentance. We also know in our heart of hearts how we too, desire to do better and to become a witness and example, especially after we are caught. It is at these times of soul searching that we can grow the most.

Have you done something that you feel was too terrible to forgive? You are not alone. Even when we know that God is able to forgive us no matter what, there is always the issue of the forgiveness of others and self-forgiveness. We need to focus on His forgiveness and leave the forgiveness of others to them and not allow the devil to use the un-forgiveness of self to depress and discourage us. David is able to move on from a seemingly irreversible circumstance to continue to serve God well and we should take note of what he had realized in order to get there.

Read verses 10-12 again and know this..... David knows that a pure heart can only come from God, not his own efforts. David knows that he needs renewal and that starts from the inside out. David knows he deserves God's rejection and requests his presence and Spirit, anyway. David knows that he has lost the joy of his salvation, after all, how could a saved person do that. David knows himself, and that he needs to depend on God for the willingness to sustain him.

When we sincerely seek restoration God grants it. I read this Psalm often to remind me of my own propensity to sin and of my need to be careful of my sometimes callous heart towards those who get themselves in so much trouble by compounding their sinful choices. The lessons in Psalm 51 are many and it is an excellent example of how God can take a horrendous situation and turn it into something to glorify Himself.

Today, my prayer is that God would have mercy on me, wash away my sins, see me as I am, yet love me anyway, cleanse me, create in me a pure heart, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Join me in that prayer.

Mercifully His,
Pastor Fred

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