Passage of the Day:
Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit 3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.[b] 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin, Psalm 32:1-5.
Reflection:
The beginning of David’s Psalm reminds me of Adam and Eve’s attempt to hid from God in the Garden of Eden after eating the forbidden fruit, Genesis 3:6-8. One of the first reactions human beings experience after committing a sinful act is shame. While David didn’t run away from God after committing adultery with Bathsheba, he was afraid to acknowledge this transgression. Sinful acts tend to separate you from the people you love, including God. When your strength is sapped from you like heat and humidity on a hot summer day, this is when you need to pray for a new heart.
Prayerful Action:
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me, Psalm 51:10-12.
Restoring Your Heart:
Regret is one of those internal feelings that tends to gnaw at your soul. Some individuals retrace their steps to see what led up to making a careless choice, poor decision or subtle compromise. Rather than go to war in the Spring, 2 Samuel 11:1, King David opted to stay home for an extended vacation. This idle time led to boredom and eventually an evening stroll on the roof of his palace. As soon as David saw Bathsheba bathing in the nude, he couldn’t get her out of his mind. As darkness entered David’s heart, Matthew 6:22-23, it was only a matter of time before sin was conceived. This is why the apostle Paul urged a teenage pastor to flee from evil, 2 Timothy 2:22.
Song of the Day:
Final Thoughts:
In the next week of devotionals, I’ll be bringing attention to various conditions of the human heart. The Bible is clear about how eyes, minds and hearts all work together. Bruce Carroll’s song points out subtle flaws that exist in every Christian. The quicker you acknowledge that you have a problem by confessing your mistakes, the sooner healing can occur. Whatever you’re current spiritual condition may be, don’t be afraid to ask God for a clean and new heart.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 