July 24: Psalm 51:1-6

Key Verse: Psalm 51:5
Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

Devotion:
The more honest we are with God, the more we will be able to see just how precious the reconciliation He has prepared for us! This Psalm was written some time after King David had committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband sent to his certain death on the front line. We may have questioned whether God should forgive such a deed from a person who is supposed to be an example to others, but ours is not to question God’s judgement or love!

David does not demand anything from God but humbly submits to God’s judgement and offers a plea for God’s great compassion to cover his sins and allow forgiveness to be the outcome instead. If we had followed the rule of the land or the rules God laid down, David should have been put to death; instead we see a Loving and Forgiving God who is willing to listen to David’s prayer because He knows what is on David’s heart.

So it is not dependant on us being good enough to get forgiven for the little sins, but fully dependant on God’s grace to cover our sins, no matter what they are. If we are sincere and open our hearts with honesty to have a relationship with God, we can be assured of His willingness to forgive us of our sins!

We could argue we have been born full of sin and the only way we can escape the punishment for our sin is if someone who has no sin in them is able to stand and take on our sin debt instead of us having to pay for it. Jesus Christ alone is that person who has no sin in Him and is able to stand in our stead. He alone is able to forgive us because He took on our sin debt. God implanted the knowledge of good and bad in our hearts before we were born – we choose which path to follow...

Points to Ponder:
Do you admit to your problems in your heart?

Will you honestly and humbly talk to God about your sins?