If we haven’t yielded ourselves soul and body to the Lord then we disappoint the Lord. He cannot use us and our life becomes useless.
Children, how can you say God is leading you but you cannot submit and help your parents, and pride is still reigning in your life?
Psalms 32
1 A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. 4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. 7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. 9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. 10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
Verse five says in the Amplified, “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord [continually unfolding the past till all is told]—then You [instantly] forgave me the guilt and iniquity of my sin. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!”.
David, the author understood something profound of God. He was a man after God’s heart. Any parent, when a child submits and is obedient loves that child and will do anything for such a child!
Blessed is that man who is forgiven. He understood the fountain of blessing to be forgiven by God.
Maybe you say things always go wrong in your life and you’re not blessed. Well listen to David and discover this secret of truly being blessed.
Where did David’s obedience start? Right from his mother’s breast. He learnt from his mother.
We know that Ruth, Naomi’s daughter in law, came from Moab, and she married Boaz. Some Bible Historians tell us that they were only married one day and then Boaz died. Ruth was the grandmother of David.
These historians also tell us that it could have been that David was like Joseph, an outcast in his own family. We see a glimpse of it when they didn’t call him for the feast with Samuel, and when he took provisions to his brothers at the battle field, and how they scolded him.
His mother taught him to pray. She taught him that God doesn’t allow a grudge against his brothers.
She suffered together with her son for twenty eight years. Then Samuel came and all the sons passed but Samuel said that none of them were chosen. Only when he asked if they were all the sons, did they remember David and called for him. You might also be despised by others, but God has kept you for His purpose.
David knew that he was sinful and in need of forgiveness. Although he suffered greatly he knew God was dealing with him through that. He didn’t become bitter but allowed the suffering to work in him the purposes of God.
Maybe you think God is dealing harshly with you and things aren’t going as you expected. See that God is working in you and accept it and then you will be able to pray this prayer with David, of the blessedness of being forgiven.
David understood that whatever sin he committed he sinned against God. So too the prodigal son understood this secret, and found forgiveness.
David realised he needed forgiveness, and also that there should be nothing between him and someone else.
Millions bath in the Ganges river in India to have their sins forgiven. A certain old missionary to India, when he was old and frail asked to be placed next to the Ganges river to tell them of Christ Jesus who can forgive their sins, with his last breath.
David also experienced the suffering of his body when he kept quiet about his sin. Even your body suffers when sin is hidden.
If you want to live, confess your sin like David.
Martin Luther had a dream where he saw all his sins written down one by one on a blackboard. He cried to God, “who can delivery me from my sin?”. Then he saw a pierced hand touch the board and instantly the board was clean, all the sins wiped away.
Maybe David looked at pornography, just like you on the internet, videos or the tv. And God judged him for that and he suffered until he confessed it and forsaken it.
These games, videos and cell phones are fire extinguishers, they extinguish God’s fire in your life!
David’s mother could help him, and show him what’s right and what’s wrong and that she won’t allow evil in the house.
David writes that day and night God’s hand was upon him while he hid his sin. Maybe you experience God’s hand of displeasure on your life but you blame people. No, make right where you have fallen and sinned and then He will pour His Spirit upon you.
There was once a little girl. They had a very expensive cup. Her mother told her about the cup and who gave it and how much it was worth. She wanted to hold the special cup, which she knew she had to leave alone. She opened the cupboard, took the cup and it slipped and fell and broke. Her mother rebuked her sharply but forgave her, took all the broken pieces and threw them in the rubbish bin. Not long after the child came with all the broken pieces and brought it to her mother, still crying about the cup. We should not be so, but realise when God forgives He does it instantly and He forgets.
The prodigal son wallowed in the filth of the world and then looked after the pigs. He really lived a pig-like life. But when he came to his senses and went broken to his father, his father forgave him, changed his rags for robes and he was part of the family again.
Don’t you want it too? Then do what David did.