Psalm 51
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence.
And do not take Your Holy Spirt from me.
2 Samuel 11 outlines a salacious story about King David, a chosen leader of God. David, who was king of Israel, saw an attractive woman on the roof of her home. Being a man of great power, David called on the woman, who he found out was the wife of one of his leading warriors. Even though David knew of her marriage to one of his loyal fighters, Uriah, David had a relationship with the woman, Bathsheba. Bathsheba became pregnant. Discovering this, David arranged for Uriah to be sent to the frontline of battle where he knew he would be killed. David not only slept with a married woman, but he also had her husband “murdered.”
King David was rich, was the most powerful person in Israel, and was accountable to no man. He was accustomed to getting what he wanted. He was accomplished and things typically worked in his favor. His expectations of his life became bigger than his accountability and commitment to God.
What gives us a “moral compass” to do the right thing? How do we hold ourselves accountable to what is good and what is bad?
Acknowledging that we need guidance and admit when our life goes “off track” is imperative. The inspiring part of this story is that David acknowledged his sin and prayed to God to “cleanse him” of his sin and help him be a better person. We will sin. We will make bad decisions. God wants us to acknowledge our sin, which we call repentance, and apply His commands to our lives. God will allow us to sin. He does not control our actions. The most vital decision for us is to admit and acknowledge when we have done wrong.
Admitting we are wrong can be a hard “pill to swallow.” Humility is not always a common trait. Life will throw us challenges and strife, along with happy times and hopefully prosperity. The constant in our journey on earth is that God loves us and wants us to give Him reverence and praise for our blessings. Even when we sin, God loves us. He is a loving Father that wants what is best for us. But as a loving Father, He allows challenges and strife in our lives so we will appreciate and acknowledge His love and grace for us.
