Psalm 51: 1 - 4
I love what I see of God in these verses. From verses 1 and 2, I see a glimpse into God that helps me. This God I serve has both the authority and power to wash away the stain of sin and the mercy and compassion to do so. Isn't the combination of these two qualities wonderfully comforting? Power wielded without compassion is so often destructive. And mercy and compassion without any authority or power accomplishes nothing. In God all these necessary pieces come together in perfect unity. That leads me into worship!
I love what I see of David in these verses. Verse 3 reminds me that personal awareness is the essential beginning place of any restoration. David did not indulge in personal denial. Do I? Do you? Isn't it easy to make excuses and rationalizations for the sin and failure in life? I respect David for not doing that. And I am impressed by his understanding that sin, while it definitely effects other people, while it carries consequences that will touch other people, sin is against God. Can you remember a time in your life when this realization came to a clear light in your own mind and heart - when the rationalizations, the excuses, the blaming finally ceased - and you fell at the foot of the cross asking God for the cleansing that can only come from His hand? If you have not come to that realization ... read verses 3 and 4 again ... and learn from David.
Lay your heart and soul bare before the Lord. He has the authority, the power, the mercy and the compassion to handle "you" with marvelous care. Release yourself into those hands ...
When David cries to God for mercy and forgiveness, he appeals to God's unfailing love and great compassion. There really is no other basis of appeal -- not good deeds, not family connections, not penance or extenuating circumstances or "time off for good behavior." He also does not try to "do it himself" -- this is something only God can do for us. We have to give up “being right” in favor of “wearing righteousness.”
ReplyDeleteVerses 3 is one that Satan loves to twist around and use against us, even after God has forgiven us. We cannot forget what we did, so we cannot imagine that God could forget it, either. But God is "able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine"... Psalm 103:12 says He has removed our transgressions "as far as the east is from the west." We can measure in miles how far it is from the north pole to the south pole... but where does east end and west begin? We cannot measure it!
I like the image of giving up being right for wearing righteousness. Continuing, day-by-day struggle ... but so well worth the battle! Christ's righteousness - therein lies glory.
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