| Numbers 10:1-11:23; Mark 14:1-21; Psalm 51:1-19; Proverbs 10:31-32
“Wash away my guilt, and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me. Against You – You alone – I have sinned and done this evil in Your sight. So You are right when You pass sentence; You are blameless when you judge. (Psalm 51: 2-4)
“Surely You desire integrity in the inner self, and You teach me wisdom deep within. Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and blot out all my guilt. God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not banish me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit. Then I will teach the rebellious Your ways, and sinners will return to You.” (51:6-13)
This was a psalm of King David written after the Prophet Nathan confronted him concerning his sin of committing adultery and impregnating his soldier’s wife and then having the man killed to cover it up. Even though David tried to move forward as though nothing was wrong, he knew in his spirit that what he had done was wrong. He truly was a man of God, despite his grave sin and lapse of judgment, his actions internally convicted him. David knew God had every right to judge him.
When something occurs with us, instead of playing like everything is great, we need to acknowledge our sin before God. There is something freeing about admitting to God that we were wrong and accepting our consequence. Lies and deception build up walls and block us from moving forward. No relationship can function for long when walls start going up. God presses us to bring the walls down.
David states that God “desires integrity in the inner self.” He does. He gives us wisdom through our experiences and He expects us to grow in life, not give up. When a shepherd had a sheep that kept straying and bringing itself into danger, the shepherd would break the leg of the sheep in order to save its life. He would then carry the sheep on his shoulder until it was healed.
Sometimes God “breaks the leg,” so to speak, of His wayward sheep in order to spare their lives. God carries us through tho. We must recognize the “broken leg” is God’s means of loving correction, not cruel punishment. Then we can come to a place where we know God has forgiven us and we have received that forgiveness and then we are able to forgive ourselves. At this place we can then walk in that clean heart and renewed spirit and feel right about instructing others who are struggling.
PRAYER:
Lord, I ask You to forgive and heal me. I pray for those who I have hurt and ask for their forgiveness and ask You to heal them as well. I pray You would help me to rise above condemnation so that I can receive Your joy. Give me a willing spirit to do of Your good pleasure. Widen my path and keep my feet from falling. Show me how I can help someone else that may be struggling and perceiving their broken leg in the wrong way. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen. |
