Psalm 51:1-3, New Living Translation

“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.”

We are all a work in progress. Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are God’s masterpiece. Psalm 139 tells us our days were written in His book before we came to be. God knows the choices we will make and the direction our lives will go. He is not surprised. We have the free will to choose which way we will go, and we have the free will to turn to God. By having this choice, we have true love, true relationship with our Father. It is in this relationship that all things are made new.

It was in Psalm 51 David cried out to the Lord, “Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.” (Psalm 51:1-3, NLT)

David was referred to as a man after God’s heart. God loved him deeply. Just as David was not a perfect individual, we too, are not perfect individuals. The love that God had for David, He has for us. Even in all of David’s sinfulness, God did not abandon him. He did not stop loving him. Through God’s mercy and unfailing love, David was drawn to repentance and continued to pursue God. Perhaps at times we feel shame and are unable to bring ourselves before our merciful Father. That is the enemy preventing you from being forgiven. It was pride that got Satan kicked out of heaven, and it is pride that keeps us from going to God our Father. Instead of allowing the enemy to take ground in our heart, like David, we should cry out to the Lord.

Continuing in Psalm 51, David went on to say, “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you. Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you. You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” (Psalm 51:7-17, NLT)

When Christ died on the cross for our sins, He was the sacrifice, the atonement for our sins. In the Old Testament, they had to provide sin offerings. But Christ was the ultimate sacrifice that tore the veil from top to bottom. He made a way for us to enter before God our Father with boldness. With boldness we should come, to talk to our Father. To share our hurts and pains. To ask for help to see through His eyes, and to obey His commands. To be forgiven and washed as white as snow.  

This forgiveness, this salvation is a free gift to us. We just need to be willing to reach out and grab ahold of it. “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:8-10, NLT) Notice this scripture says we were “created anew.” As 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) tells us, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

I want to encourage us today to leave the old man behind. Embrace the new you that God has made you to be, to do the good things He has planned for you long ago. Cry out to Him when you need help! We cannot get through this life without Him. He is a good God. He is a loving God. He is a forgiving God. And He is a just God. He is our source of strength and our source of hope.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NLT)