The Need to be made healthy again...
David had bitter grief for his sin. Its effects were visible on his body: his “bones wasted away” and his “strength was dried up as by the heat of summer” (Psalm 32:3, 4 ESV). He could find no remedy until he made a full confession before the throne of heavenly grace. David tells us that for a while he kept his silence, but his heart became more and more filled with grief. Like a mountain lake whose outlet is blocked, his soul was swollen with torrents of sorrow. He made excuses, he tried to divert his thoughts, all to no avail. His anguish grew like a festering sore—but since he would not use the lancet of confession, his spirit continued in torment and knew no rest. At last it came to this: he must return to his God in humble repentance or simply die. So David rushed to the mercy seat and unrolled the scroll of his iniquities before the all-seeing One. David acknowledged all the evil of his ways in the kind of language you read in Psalm 51 and other such “penitential psalms.” Having done this, something so simple and yet so difficult to human pride, he immediately received the gift of divine forgiveness. The bones that had wasted away were made to rejoice, and David came away from his prayer time singing about the happiness of the person whose transgression is forgiven. See the value of grace-driven confession of sin! It is to be prized above all things, for in every case where there is a genuine confession, mercy is freely given—not because the repentance and confession deserve mercy, but for Christ’s sake. Praise be to God, there is always healing for a broken heart—the fountain is always flowing to cleanse us from our sins. Certainly, Lord, you are a God “ready to pardon” (Nehemiah 9:19 NKJV)! And for that reason, we will acknowledge our iniquities. - C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening
Doctor's make the worst patients. Those blinded by sin cannot see their sin. When all you look for is at a distance, far away, then you will miss what's right before your eyes. These statements are pretty much intertwined.
King David's writing's in Scripture are very poignant. They are from the heart. He indeed tried to hide sin from God. The same God who drew him up from a life as a shepherd boy and had him defeat the mighty Goliath. Who had him and his men kill Goliath's 4 brothers. Who lead him in his life to be King over all Israel. The same whom he sat down before to speak almost face to face with.
David also was proven, through his sin, to be just like you and I. Like David, how we respond to our sin reflects on where we are in Christ. If we look at Proverbs you can see very distinct descriptions of the wise and the fool. You can see what Solomon was taught and yet had forgotten himself. My friend we are in good company with those that stumble and fall.
What do you do in reaction to known sin in your life? Nothing? Dismiss it as nothing? Does it cause you the least bit of pain to your conscience? Does it bring you to ask for forgiveness immediately? Does it prick your soul at all? How you answer reveals much about where you are before God's eyes.
I agree with Daniel in much of what he prayed for. Known sin and the unknown sin. Sins even he wasn't aware of. Ignorance of sin is no excuse. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans.
Today, make it a point to stop for a moment and ask for forgiveness from Jesus for your sin. Even if you aren't aware of anything you have done. The problem with awareness is it's reliance on alertness. You are only as sensitive as your ability to be alert to it.
David, Daniel, Paul, John, all the rest, knew of the importance of being right before God. You don't need to be a King, Prophet or Apostle to approach the Throne of God. You just need the right heart attitude. Lastly you cannot also live as Ananias and Sophira and try to intentionally deceive God. You will be found out. As David pointed out...stop what you are doing and get right before God.
Proverbs tells what kind of life a wise man will live and that of the fool before a Holy God. Both have their ways seen and revealed before Him in every detail.
If you are in Christ, seek the Throne of Grace. Seek to be made right before God. Ask to be cleansed again. Healed again.
It's time, don't you think, to start truly living again?
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