As part of my recovery steps and principles outlined by the Celebrate Recovery program, on 19 January, 2020, I read off my moral inventory to the elders of my church. To be that honest, and that vulnerable to other men had its intimidation but because I trust them, I was able to overcome that fear and read my list. And let me tell you, it felt good to unload the weight of all my moral deficiencies and to hear feedback from them.
In the Book of Psalm, Chapter 51, the psalmist, David, writes:
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right and steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit (10-12, AMP).
When the prophet Nathan confronted King David concerning the latter's sins* (2 Sam. 12:1-4), David felt the tremendous weight of sorrow and conviction for his sins. David, a man after God's own heart (1 Sam 13:14), prayed to God to correct his heart; and restore David's joy of salvation instead of fearing the wrath of God.
When we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us (1 John 1:9) and we do not need to fear His judgement.
In the same chapter, the psalmist continues:
"For you do not delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it. You are not pleased with burnt offering. My [only] sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise (16-17, AMP)."
In the time of sacrificial offerings to God to atone for one's sins, we see David acknowledge that there is nothing he can offer sacrificially on a burnt offer that truly pleases God. David knew what the rest of would come to know through Jesus Christ, and that is the only reasonable sacrifice we can give to God is making ourselves a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). There was no ritual, nor any other acts of man which would please God. Only David's honest confession of his brokenness, and a truly repentant and sorrowful heart would please God.
God wants us to be honest with Him; even when and especially if the sin is too shameful (according to our view because God sees all sin as the same). To God, there is nothing too great that cannot be forgiven (except for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit [Matt. 12:31]. However, if we are not honest with Him; not truly repentant of our sins, then the One who truly knows us inside and out, and from whom nothing can be hidden, cannot clean our hearts if we keep hanging on to the darkness.
Until next time...
*Concerning David's affair with Bathsheba and plotting the death of her husband to cover up the affair.
No comments:
Post a Comment