What To Do With Your Sin

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March 13
Psalm 51

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. . . . Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

Illustration by Gustave Doré

Psalm 51 is a response of David, after he committed adultery with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11. David knew that he intentionally sinned against God. He then had to go through the process of repentance, healing, and reconciliation. Although David attempted to cover his sin one time by killing Bathsheba’s husband, he knew that he could not continue those types of actions and get away with it. After all, David was “a man after God’s own heart,” yet he still sinned against him. Through Nathan’s confrontation, David begins to repent of his sins and past mistakes, which results in a desperate cry to God for forgiveness toward the process of healing.

Can’t we all relate to David? We may not have committed literal adultery, or literal murder, but in Matthew 5:27–30, Jesus tells us that if we even look at someone in a lustful way, we have committed adultery in our hearts. If anything, it should simply remind us that we are sinners, yet, Jesus looks at his children and he sees no sin in us, but we are also called to repent daily, and lay our sins before him. Sin cannot define us as Christians, but it can wreck us if we allow it to. We MUST resist the temptations of the flesh, and when we do fall short of God’s holy standards, we MUST repent and work through the process of letting God redeem and heal us. Thankfully, God gives his children grace, but this grace came with a cost. God sent his only son Jesus Christ to die for us, which calls for our response in obedience. This Lent season, remember that you are a sinner in need of God. But God always provides a way out of sin and brings victory and healing. In our weakness, he is made strong!

Reflection

  1. What are some current sins that you need to recognize and repent of?
  2. Who in your life is serving as a ‘Nathan’ to help you recognize your sin? If you currently have no one, how can you take a step in this direction?
  3. Spend a few minutes in prayer, thanking and asking God for his help in your fight against sin.