“Twas grace that brought me safe thus far”
(Verse 3, line 3, Amazing Grace by John Newton)
Yesterday we were thankful to God because Easter means Jesus is alive and walks with us through “dangers, toils, and snares.” God does not just sit up in heaven seeing if we live life right, taking notes, and expecting us to become our better selves by ourselves. He walks with us. For many the problem of the crisis is indeed huge but living with the guilt of mistakes afterwards is a horrible burden. I liken it to a little voice that sits on our shoulder and loves to remind us of our failures and our shortcomings.
King David wrote Psalm 51 after being confronted by his prophet Nathan. David had an affair one night with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, one of his faithful soldiers. He saw, he wanted and he took. He was the king. He could do what he wanted and no one would question. But God saw and sent Nathan with a story about a rich man with large flocks who demanded the pet lamb of his poor neighbor because he wanted to feed a guest. David immediately knew he was the rich man. Not only had he taken the wife of Uriah but he also arranged for Uriah to be put in a fighting position that resulted in death. This was not a shining moment in King David’s life. He immediately repented and sought forgiveness.
David’s confession: (Psalm 51:1-5)
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment.
5 Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.”
David’s prayer: (Psalm 51:10-12)
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.
Grace silences guilt because we are forgiven so when the whispers about the past remind us of our failures, remind the voice of the victory of God over all that would accuse us. Let us ask Him to help us be our better selves he created us to be.
On the Way to Wonder 