NEW LIFE, RENEWED LIFE
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.
Psalm 51:10-12 (NLT)
King David is likely one of the most famous people in the entirety of Scripture. Even people with zero biblical knowledge will allude to David and Goliath. And while defeating Goliath is undoubtedly his most well-known exploit, a close second is far less glamorous. He commits adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his soldiers who is away at war. She becomes pregnant, and when his coverup attempts are thwarted, he has her husband killed. Not the greatest series of events for David.
It's in the aftermath of being confronted by God through a prophet that David pens Psalm 51. The entire psalm is powerful, but these few verses are particularly poignant. David is asking God to renew him. He asks God to help him be loyal and willing to obey God. He humbles himself by admitting he has not been where he needs to be and asking God to help him return to that place.
David was described as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). He was a tremendous leader and king. And yet he fell. He sinned. He needed to humble himself and repent. The same may be true for you. You love God, and you know that you’ve passed from death to life, but then you fall. You sin. And the temptation is to do exactly what David did—cover it up and hide. But God sees and knows all. Let us humble ourselves and repent rather than run from the One who can heal. Remember—repentance isn’t something that you do once when you become a Christ follower. Repentance is a rhythm, something that we should practice regularly.
APPLICATION:
In what area do you need to repent? What do you need to confess? Take time to do that now with God. Ask God to renew a loyal spirit within you that you would willingly submit to and surrender to His way. Consider sharing your struggle and sin with a trusted confidant who can pray for you.
PRAYER:
God, You know my hidden sin. May Your Holy Spirit convict me and lead me to repentance. Create in me a loyal spirit. Make me willing to obey You. Thank You for loving me despite my struggles, stumbles and sins. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?