DO THAT FOR ME TOO

 

OCTOBER 16, 2023

Psalms 51:10

¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 

(New International Version)

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God.
    Renew a loyal spirit within me. 

(New Living Translation)

 

 

In the 17th century, a young man, John Newton was born and raised in England in a Christian home. Although he was taught about the Christian way of life, and the life of discipline by his mother, he became a rebellious and defiant young man, after the death of his mother. His Father had taught Newton, sailing skills, which paid of as John Newton would later serve as a ship’s captain. As the story goes, Newton was captaining his sheep, steering it through a fierce and immense storm, when he experienced the mercy of God that saved his life and his ship. This proved to be a significant turning point for John Newton, in his reflections he experienced a growing awareness of God’s grace, and how God’s grace had been guiding, leading even, his life. John Newton became a preacher in England, and with a renewed spirit, and the overwhelming reality of God’s grace he wrote the much loved hymn, "Amazing Grace."

The background to today’s Psalm is found in 2 Samuel 11, there we read that King David cunningly arranged for the death of a man named Uriah. Uriah was a faithful soldier in David's army, however David by the misuse of his Kingly power, and he had a sexual relationship with Uriah's “beautiful” wife. Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife became pregnant as a result. David’s coverup was to send Uriah to the front lines in battle where he was killed.  As you can well imagine, David’s actions displeased God, so God sent Nathan the prophet to express the Lord's judgments to king David. Israel’s King responded to hearing  God speak through Nathan, he recognized he had sinned not only against Uriah, not only against Bathsheba, but against God (2 Samuel 12:13). Psalm 51 is King David’s plea for God's mercy, he repented deeply for his sin. He cried, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast (loyal) spirit within me".

A read of Psalms 51, with the background of 2 Samuel 11, we can  hear just how deeply King David repented for his sin and asked God to change his heart because he knew that God would not refuse the cries of a broken and repentant heart. David’s fear was that he may lose the comfort of the presence of God. So, David could not move forward in his spiritual relationship with God without dealing with the sin in his life.

As God’s people,  we need to examine our spiritual life, this examination we call Confession. In these moments of confession, we seek to observe, to make sure that we have not violated God’s will and vision for us or displeased Him in any action. Should the Holy Spirit point out any way that we have “missed the mark” in God’s intentions for us, we cry out 

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, 

and renew a steadfast spirit within me." 

Here is the gospel in Psalm 51, our compassionate God is ready to listen to the prayers that come from an honest heart and he will surely renew such a heart. I guess what I want us to know today is that if God can renew, restore and rebuild David, he can do that in our lives too. Now that my fellow Jesus followers is very “Good News”!!  AMAZING GRACE, Indeed.

Let Us Pray

Loving God,

I pray for the forgiveness of my sins and help me to have a heart that is open to listen to you when by your Spirit points out to me the need for repentance. Today, I ask for a repentant heart like David and the renewing of your spirit within me. Renew me, Restore Me, Rebuild me, that I may fully walk in your presence everyday. Amen.