The Weekly Word - A Devotion for the Week of March 9
During the six weeks of Lent, we are offering a special devotional series on the theme of repentance. We invite you to set aside a few minutes each week to turn toward God, asking His forgiveness and offering Him your thanksgiving and praise.
The Scripture for today is from Psalm 51: 10-12:
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.
King David penned this psalm of repentance during a time of deep regret and shame. Not only had he committed adultery, he had also conspired to have one of his own military leaders killed (see 2 Samuel 11). In the wake of these sins, we hear in these verses David’s plea for forgiveness, as well as his fear – fear that perhaps this time he had gone too far to be forgiven.
Like David, there are times in our lives when we are so disappointed in ourselves and so ashamed of our mistakes, we fear that God is surely done with us. We simply can’t imagine why He would want to stick with us for the long haul.
But here’s the truth: No sin is too big or too terrible for God. He will never banish us from His presence. He won’t ever take His Spirit away from us, no matter how terrible our transgressions, no matter how far we have strayed from His way. Time and time again we ask God for forgiveness, and time and time again He gives us grace for our sins, both big and small.
Take comfort, for God is always with you. Turn back toward Him, knowing that He will always create a clean heart anew in you.
Loving God, thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit in me. Thank you for Your presence and Your love. I ask for Your forgiveness and help as I endeavor to turn from my sinful ways and obey You. Amen.