David's Repentance


For the season of Lent I'll be sharing devotions from Grace Lutheran's devotional book: "Forgiven." 

While these devotions are not my words and may not represent my own faith or theological understanding, they are valuable personal faith perspectives of 40 of Grace's members and I am so grateful for their generosity in sharing them.

Part Five: All Can Be Forgiven

Psalm 51:1-12  (David’s repentance)

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
    blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
    and blameless when you pass judgment.
Indeed, I was born guilty,
    a sinner when my mother conceived me.
You desire truth in the inward being;
    therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
    and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Forgiveness is often harder than it sounds. It can be difficult to forgive others when we feel betrayed and hurt, but with God's help we can do it. It is often even harder to forgive ourselves. When I first read the theme - All Can Be Forgiven -it reminded me of when suicide has occurred in our community. I always told Madison and my Girl Scouts that suicide is never the answer. No matter what happens, it'll never be so bad that God wouldn't forgive you and we wouldn't love you. So many seem lost, I pray that they find God and the support they need.

Prayer:
Dear God, please help me to forgive others and myself. Please remind me that because of your forgiveness nothing needs to separate me from You. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast Spirit within me.
 Amen

~ Brenda

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