The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:
A broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Psalm 51:17
I spent much of the morning reading and meditating upon Psalm 51...
A broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Psalm 51:17
I spent much of the morning reading and meditating upon Psalm 51...
A broken spirit and a penitent heart - these are things that were important to King David, a man who loved his Creator, but a man who plotted the murder of another man, and who also committed adultery.
Because of his sinful acts King David ultimately brought shame to his nation, and even caused the enemies of Israel to mock and blaspheme David’s God.
As the biblical account goes, when King David’s sins were exposed by the prophet Nathan, he became a broken and tearful man. David recognized his wrongs and quickly repented. But his heart was shattered. And even though God forgave David and he was allowed to remain as the nation’s king, his life was never the same.
Even David’s family was cursed. As a result of his sins, his own household became filled with turmoil and betrayal because there are consequences to sin, and God is no respecter of persons. Both kings and peasants must eventually reap bitter fruits when they allow sin to overcome their lives.
Yet King David’s transgressions and the harsh and bitter fruit he reaped as a result of them caused David to draw closer to his God. He flooded his bed with tears of repentance while the God of mercy and comfort surrounded David with forgiveness, love and grace.
For a prolonged season of time King David walked a path of grief and pain that I myself know so well. Yet in the long run, perhaps David’s struggles with sin and its consequences may have helped to stave off pride that could have developed in such a great ruler?
Who knows that if David had not fallen, he may have eventually grown proud and self-sufficient the way many kings and leaders do? He may have begun to think that his own political and military skills made his kingdom secure, and that it was not the powerful hands of the God of Israel who protected and watched over the land.
Thus I am realizing that for those who love the Lord, all things will ultimately work for our benefit. The Savior is able to make even the crooked paths straight.
D.B.
Because of his sinful acts King David ultimately brought shame to his nation, and even caused the enemies of Israel to mock and blaspheme David’s God.
As the biblical account goes, when King David’s sins were exposed by the prophet Nathan, he became a broken and tearful man. David recognized his wrongs and quickly repented. But his heart was shattered. And even though God forgave David and he was allowed to remain as the nation’s king, his life was never the same.
Even David’s family was cursed. As a result of his sins, his own household became filled with turmoil and betrayal because there are consequences to sin, and God is no respecter of persons. Both kings and peasants must eventually reap bitter fruits when they allow sin to overcome their lives.
Yet King David’s transgressions and the harsh and bitter fruit he reaped as a result of them caused David to draw closer to his God. He flooded his bed with tears of repentance while the God of mercy and comfort surrounded David with forgiveness, love and grace.
For a prolonged season of time King David walked a path of grief and pain that I myself know so well. Yet in the long run, perhaps David’s struggles with sin and its consequences may have helped to stave off pride that could have developed in such a great ruler?
Who knows that if David had not fallen, he may have eventually grown proud and self-sufficient the way many kings and leaders do? He may have begun to think that his own political and military skills made his kingdom secure, and that it was not the powerful hands of the God of Israel who protected and watched over the land.
Thus I am realizing that for those who love the Lord, all things will ultimately work for our benefit. The Savior is able to make even the crooked paths straight.
D.B.
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