Devotion:
Read Psalm 51:1-10.
Psalm 51 is generally accepted by scholars as having been written by King David after he had been confronted by the prophet Nathan because of his sins of adultery with Bathsheba and ordering the battlefield murder of her husband. David is deeply remorseful and offers his confession and cry for mercy from the Lord. He seeks healing for his ailing spirit. Later, in verse 17, he acknowledges that the sacrifice God most seeks “is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart…”
Psalm 51 is one of the most powerful of all the Psalms because it gives words to that deep need we all have to confess when we have done wrong. If we keep the sin inside, it festers and continues to damage us. But when we confess what we have done, the healing begins. We can receive the forgiveness of God and others and move forward in restoring those relationships.
Often, we only focus on wrongs we have recently committed. However, there are times and situations when it is just as important to confess a wrong from sometime in our past. That could be a year ago or a decade or more. Until we confess, until we seek healing from past sins, they can continue to haunt us and hurt our relationships. Let this Psalm be a reminder to you to search your soul and offer confession for any sin that remains hidden inside. Be assured that God seeks for you to be completely healed. God seeks to put “a pure heart” and “a steadfast spirit” in you.
Personal Worship Option:
When I serve Communion, I always invite us to offer our prayer of confession. I invite you to make that a regular part of your prayer life. And just like at Communion, be assured that God responds with an assurance of forgiveness. I believe both confession and receiving forgiveness are vital to being the people of God.
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