The Christian life is a journey that begins when we accept Christ as our Savior. We are at the point of salvation declared righteous before the mighty, Just God having had all the penalty for our sins paid for at the Cross by Jesus who took upon Himself the full wrath that Justice and righteousness demanded. I truly wish that I could tell you that since that day, I have always lived out that righteousness; but that would be a lie–and therefore a sin in itself. I have been so richly blessed by God through His revelations of Him self to me; I wish I could say that for a certainty I will not fail Him today. Yet, I have learned that I can have no confidence in my self to perform. Each time I believe the sifting and refining work is nearing completion; another blemish is revealed. David loved God, followed after God and was called "A man after the heart of God" Yet, in a period of time when everything seemed to be going so well, sin crept in. He was now King as God had promised. There in all his God Given success, he became complacent, much like we do after some victory over some sin in our own lives. How quickly we forget our own frailty.
And so, 2 Samuel 11:1 at the time when kings go forth to battle, … David tarried still at Jerusalem.
2 And it came to pass in an evening tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
Thus began the desire, the fulfillment of the desire and the elaborate cover up (as though he could hide His sin from God). Don’t become self righteousness here and think, "Well, I would never …" I am certain if you look within, you have. In fact, if you think that you are too "Godly to ever do such a thing"; you are about to. David had thought he hid his sin well, covered it over; but he was about to realize that he had not dealt with it before God nor within His own heart. Nathan then goes before the King.
2 Samuel 12:
And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
5 And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:
6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man.
For David, the weight of his sin came crashing down upon him at that moment. Have you ever been there? I know I have. One of those times was when I crying with frustration to God I had asked Him, "Why must you always break my heart?" Somehow in my broken theology at the time, I had believed that God would provide me with a companion to love me–"the desire of my heart". That belief had led me down many paths which often led me to compromise. After being widowed in 1994, I was crushed. My husbands first declaration of his love for me came only 24 hours before his death (before that his own fears had caused him to always say, "I married you because you are a good woman, not for love".) Still, I believed because I had been faithful to God; God would now provide someone. (Note, "I had been faithful"—again, marred theology because "I" have nothing without grace to be faithful with". So back to what happened many years later in 2005, as I cried out to God, "Why must you always break my heart?" As my angry sobbing began to quiet, I heard the gentlest of voices as God whispered back, "Oh, Child, do you not see? It has been you who broke my heart. Do you not realize that I am the companion and the love you seek after? Do you not know that I love you beyond anything that you could ever imagine? Why do you not see that I am standing here with everything that you need–desiring to lavish you with my hope, my joy, my love and my glory? At that moment, my heart shattered with the weight of my own sin. That is what lead to the writing of my book, "A Broken and Contrite Heart". Once we reach this point of utter brokenness, we change forever how we see God and ourselves. Like an epiphany.
Jonathan Edwards said this so well,
The more a true saint loves God with a truly gracious love, the more he desires to love Him, and the more miserable he is at his lack of love to Him. The more he hates sin, the more he desires to hate it. The more he mourns for sin, the more he longs to mourn for it. The more his heart is broken for sin, the more he prays that it may be far more broken. The more he hungers and thirsts after God, the more he faints and fails in seeking after God. Forgetting those things that are behind, he reaches forth to those things that are before. He ever presses toward the far-off mark.
Jonathan Edwards
The Works of Jonathan Edwards
So, we need to look at the elements of restoration that takes place in the heart shattered by sin so as to truly serve; for one cannot stay in that shattered state and accomplish the work God has intended for you. If we wallow in our guilt, we remain focused on our self; yet, we need to get our eyes off of our self and focus on the Amazing Grace which is God. Most of the elements are God’s doing; but it must begin with these.
Element #1. Recognizing who God is. He is the Sovereign King of the Universe, Perfect Righteousness, Perfect Justice and Creator of All of Heaven and Earth who chose to pay the penalty of our sin at grave cost to himself so as to provide a way for sinful, self centered man to have a relationship with Him. He desires to share His wealth of Love, Joy, and Glory with our pauperized hearts–despite our being paupers because of our own foolishness. Psalm 51: 1, 8, 12)
Element #2. Recognizing and Acknowledging Our own sin. Whether that be a Christian or an unbeliever, there can be no restoration until we recognize the sin and it’s affect upon our relationship with God. This is greater than just lip service, this is that brokenness that comes from recognizing our utter unworthiness of His Grace. (Psalm 51: 3,4, 5)
Element #3: A Desire to be restored and to seek after God with all our Heart and Soul. Seeing Him as our Greatest Treasure. (Psalm 51: 2, 9-11, 14)
Element #4: A Desire to worship and serve God with all our being. (Psalm 51: 13, 14-17)
Tomorrow, we will look at the elements of restoration God Brings in Response.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPXAju9z7Cs Broken and Spilled Out.
Psalm 51: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.