Monday, October 31, 2011

God Always Takes Us Back

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

-- Psalm 51:7

Isn’t it amazing how we allow sin to multiply again and again until finally we admit it and run to God for help? It’s like we sin once, then we sin again in an effort to cover up the first sin. And so it goes.

David sinned when he committed adultery with Bathsheba. Then he compounded that sin by calling her husband home from war and trying to persuade him to go home to his wife. When Uriah refused, David sent a message to Joab -- via Uriah -- instructing the military commander to place Uriah in a position where he would be killed. Then, to make a horrible situation worse, David went along with his life as though nothing bad had happened.

Sin after sin after sin. It wasn’t until God sent the prophet Nathan to David that David confessed and repented. Why did it take David so long? And why does it take us so long? It’s like we can’t repent until we are no longer able to hide our sin. It’s almost comical. It’s not like we can ever hide anything from God.

So where does sin come from? I know. Humans have a sinful nature. But, more specifically, where does sin come from? In David’s case, he was bored. And lonely. And not where he was supposed to be. He’d stayed behind even though the Bible tells us it was the time of year when kings and their men went to war. David put himself in a position where he was vulnerable to sin.

What about you? The Bible warns us against temptation but why do we always think those warnings weren’t meant for us? We just know we can resist but the truth is we aren’t any better at it than anyone else. David was a man after God’s own heart yet he, too, was vulnerable. He fell into Satan’s trap. From there, his life went downhill -- and away from God -- at a rapid pace.

But the beauty of this story is the happy ending. David did repent. He did ask God for forgiveness. And God granted it. Of course, David paid a high price. His son with Bathsheba died. Still, God was with David and Bathsheba again conceived, this time giving birth to Solomon.

How we must hurt God sometimes, when we sin and pull away from His love and His grace. But no matter what we’ve done, or how long we’ve been gone, He always takes us back. His love remains strong and true. He restores us. It doesn’t mean our sin goes without punishment. It means God forgives us and grants us eternal life with Him.

Sometimes we think that we’ve gone too far, done too much, been gone too long, for God to ever forgive us. We haven’t. God forgave David and restored this man who had sinned so greatly. And He’ll restore us too. All we have to do is ask.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Lies Bring Destruction

"Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit." -- Psalm 5:9

One of the hardest things in the world to face are the lies people who claim to love you spread. You want to deny it. You want to believe that people can change. Then it happens again. Why? Why are some people so prone to lies while others can live with the truth?

I am an adult many times over and still it hurts. Some of the lies are about stupid stuff that doesn't matter. So why lie about it? Why not tell the truth? Why not voice your own comments or opinions rather than make up fiction and credit it to someone else? What's the point?

Maybe the point is destruction. I want to believe something else. It's hard. God says to forgive and I do. Most of the time anyway. A few things I'm still working on with God. It's sad. I know that. I know I can't change it. Liars create destruction wherever they go. They play people off one another. Who fact-checks everything? No one. It makes a liar's life much easier that way.

Jealousy is a powerful and destructive fuel. It leads people astray. It makes people desire to destroy other people. Nothing good can come from jealousy. Lies merely fuel it. Again, it's that playing people off one another.

I refuse to stay silent any longer. I know I hear a few of the lies. I can only imagine what is said that I'll never know. I should be used to it by now. I'm heard the snide remarks. I've been the recipient of the distasteful glances. I've felt the sting of angry remarks from people who heard the lies and believed. Enough is enough.

The liar becomes angry and defensive Why am I upset? Surely, they meant no harm. How can a lie mean no harm? How can jealousy bring good things?

Liars destroy. I find comfort in the words of David. He, too, faced an enemy who was his friend and king. He knows the heartbreak. I am comforted. God is here and He knows the truth. I find peace in knowing that really is enough.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Repent From Your Heart

"For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, and only you, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge."

-- Psalm 51:3-4

David gives me hope. Always. He was a man after God's own heart -- and he committed adultery and murder. God forgave him and welcomed him back. That bodes well for the rest of us.

David is a good example of what not to do. He shouldn't have been in a place where he could be tempted by Bathsheba. Really. He should have been fighting with his men but he decided to stay home. You could call it a mid-life crisis. Whatever. He was a warrior king who stayed at home. That gives us a good example of why we really shouldn't be someplace where we might be tempted. It only leads to bad, bad things.

Once he was tempted, David just had to have Bathsheba. He didn't care that she was married --- and to a man who was a loyal fighter for his king. David didn't consider denying himself. He saw. He wanted. He took.

And then there were the consequences. A pregnancy. Uh-oh. But did David confess and seek forgiveness? Nope. He tried to cover it up. When it didn't prove as easy as he'd hoped, he sentenced Bathsheba's husband, Uriah the Hittite, to death when he had him sent to the front lines of the battle. So an innocent, honorable man, died because David did a dishonorable thing and tried to cover it up.

It wasn't until God sent the prophet Nathan to rebuke David that the king realized, and acknowledged, what he'd one. David repented and begged God for His forgiveness. Of course, it didn't change what had happened. David paid for his sin with the death of the son Bathsheba bore.

But to give David credit, when he repented it wasn't just with words. Verse 17 tells us that "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart..." David understood that God didn't just want words like "I'm sorry" or "I won't do it again." God wanted to know that deep down in David's heart he was truly sorry for what he'd done. That's true repentance. And a really good lesson for all of us.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Satan Uses Others to Tempt Us

"Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies -- make straight your way before me." -- Psalm 5:8

King David wrote this as he battled lies and enemies that seemed overwhelming. We've probably all been in a situation where others lie to us and about us in an effort to make themselves look better.

There's another kind of lie our enemies tell. They do so when they're trying to lead us astray. "One time won't hurt," they say. "No one will ever know," they insist. "You deserve it," they remind us. It sounds really good and we want to believe. Except what they're saying is wrong. One time could kill us. God will know and so will we. And while we may deserve it, that doesn't mean we've earned it or need it.

These enemies -- led by Satan -- seek to divert the path God has planned for us. They want to lead us astray. Oh, they may not say that directly but their intent is the same. They're taking us down a road that is bad, bad, bad for us. That's the time we need to cling closely to God and His Word. He's the only One who has our best interests in mind at all times.

Temptation is everywhere. It's easy to veer off  the correct path. I pray that God will fill you and I with His Word and His Way, so that our paths can be straight and pleasing to Him.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

He Never Leaves Us

"Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me." -- Psalm 51:11

We all face times when we don't feel God's presence with us. It's usually in times of great anguish or uncertainty. We wonder where He is. We cry out, pleading. Where is He? Why has He left us when we need Him so?

He is there. Always. It is we who have drifted away. We have allowed Satan to plant insecurities and doubts in our minds. The storm batters that rock we stand on and we become afraid. Satan feeds our fears and pushes between us and God.

We know the truth. God would never leave us or forsake us. He promised and God always keeps His promises. We can call on the power of Jesus and He will thrust Satan aside -- restoring us to God.

I am always reminded of the poem, "Footprints." I have a copy of it hanging so that I see it every day. You know the story. The writer was walking along the beach with the Lord, reflecting on his life. One thing bothered him though. He noticed that sometimes there were two sets of footprints and sometimes only one. The times when there was only one set of footprints were the worst times of his life. He asked why the Lord would leave him when he needed Him most. The Lord never left him. In fact, it was during those tough times that God carried him.

When I feel distant and alone, I remember that poem. He is there, holding me and giving me strength whether I feel His presence or not. I belong to Him. He will never leave me or forsake me.