Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. (Ps 51:1)
Yesterday, I challenged all of my friends to read this Psalm. I challenged them to look at their lives and what they consider to be important. I challenged them to not look to the beliefs they were taught, but to the calling of their heart. I challenged them to read my daily posts.
Spending time in prayer, praying "written" prayers, as I have said before and have written in my book, is something I could do very well. I could recite a rosary, all the prayers I was compelled to memorize and could even go through the entire order of the Mass without picking up a book. Yes, very impressive - but not to the one who matters. There is nothing I can do that will impress Him.
David's song comes after his incident with Bath-Sheba. If you aren't familiar with the story, it goes like this: David committed adultery with Bath-Sheba and murdered her husband to cover it up. Although he had sinned with Bath-Sheba, he acknowledged that he sinned against God. He knew that his actions had hurt others. He asked for forgiveness of his sins and our merciful God did just that - he forgave him!
David went on to be the greatest king in Israel. He is part of the ancestral line of Jesus. He is listed in the "Hall of Faith" (Hebrews 11). He is described by God as a "man after his own heart (1 Sam 13:14). Along with his adultery with Bath-Sheba and the murder of Uriah, he directly disobeyed God and took a census of the people and didn't deal with the sins of his children in a decisive manner.
What David brings to us, in this day and age, is his willingness to honestly admit his mistakes. That is our first step in dealing with them. We also learn that forgiveness doesn't remove the consequences of our actions, and that God wants our complete trust and worship.
Get back to the basics of praising God. Get on your knees if you must. Ask Him for forgiveness for the acts you have committed against His commandments, ask Him to not only forgive you, but cleanse you! Ask Him to wash you cleaner than snow. Ask Jesus to come into your heart and guide your steps. Ask Him to strengthen you where you need to be strengthened and soften you where you need to be softened. David is said to have had a "whole heart", as opposed to Saul (who had no heart) and Solomon (who had only half a heart). Be David - ask for forgiveness and be sincere. Ask for the courage and strength to bring you through the battle you are in right now and the reward will be greater than you realize. Turn from the sins that haunt you the most. Bring them to Jesus, leave them at His feet and stand tall. You are forgiven!
(image - "David and Bathsheba", Marc Chagall, 1956)
