6 Minute Read
Be Still
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a couple of minutes to breathe deeply, to quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, prayerfully ask the Lord to speak to you in this time and let Him know that you will be listening and will make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Today’s Bible Reading:
Song of Songs 5:1–8:14
2 Corinthians 9:1-15
Psalm 51:1-19
Proverbs 22:24-25
Listen to the Lord
Slowly and reflectively read the following verses and listen to what God will say to you through them. Then, consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Psalm 51:12 (NLT): “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.”
Reflections from Scripture:
Psalm 51 is rugged and honest. David, who penned it, had engaged in lust and then sex with another man’s wife and then took unbelievable measures (including murder) to cover it up.
This psalm gives us insight into the internal turmoil that David was experiencing. He felt dirty and in need of cleansing. He was depressed. His inner turmoil actually created physical weakness. Besides all of this, and as a result of all of this, he felt distant from God.
Psalm 51 reminds us that sin (whether big or small) will cause havoc in a God-follower’s spirit. Between our conscience and the Holy Spirit, the Jesus-follower will not be able to get past the unresolved sin. Everything in us demands that we deal with it. We know that it needs to be forced out of the shadows and into the light.
Principle: If we can repeatedly sin and not be bothered by it, we aren’t God’s children (see Hebrews 12:5-8) and are headed for Hell.
In Psalm 51, we see one of the desires that brought the psalmist back to the Lord. He wanted his happiness back. He wanted to experience and be joyful in the relationship he previously had with his God. He wanted God to “restore to me the joy of your salvation.”
Our relationship with God is something that is intended to bring us happiness. It is intended to satisfy a deep longing within our spirit. And that joy is withheld from us when we have sinned (or are sinning) and have not taken steps to make it right.
Do you want to be restored to the joy, the happiness, of God’s salvation? Is there some unconfessed sin(s) that is the reason for the loss of joy? Then reread Psalm 51 reflectively. Allow the words of that psalm to be your own words offered up to God. Then, call out to Him, asking Him to restore the joy.
Why not meditate on the words of Joel 2:12-14 and hear God giving you some steps to come back to Him.
Spend Time in Prayer
Lord Jesus, if there is any unresolved sin in my life, please make me aware of it. Give me the wisdom to discover it, the humility to admit it, and the courage to take the necessary steps toward reconciliation. If I have wronged anyone, please give me the grace to work toward a positive resolution as I ask for their forgiveness and make restitution. I pray this in Your Name, Amen.
Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com). His latest book is God’s Grace in the Real World. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
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