Tonight’s service looked at the subject of dealing with mess, seeing how David dealt with the mess of his life after his adultery with Bathsheba which led also to the murder of her husband, Uriah (2 Samuel 11 & 12). Ps 32 and 51 were probably written after these incidents, and show us that the only way to deal with the mess that sin causes is through confession and forgiveness.
David tried to cover up his sin and Ps 32:3-4 speaks of the heaviness that is upon us when we try to do this. We try to make things better, but usually end up making things worse – sin tends to mushroom and become more complicated, as the convoluted problems faced by Mike Ross and caused by the deceit of pretending to be a lawyer when he is not qualified make plain in the drama series ‘Suits.’ Only with confession, when we own our sin without trying to pretend, can we actually move towards forgiveness and restored relationships. (Ps 51:3, Ps 32:5)
Once we have confessed, we can know the blessing of cleansing and forgiveness (see Ps 32:1-2, Ps 51:1-2). Then, we can pray like David for things to help us maintain our relationship with God.:
‘Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.’ (Ps 51:10-12)
We need God to work in us and need changing from within. A pure (clean) heart is something which we need; we also need God to renew steadfastness (stickability) in us. More than anything, we need God’s presence with us, which is why we need to be filled with the Spirit daily (Eph 5:18). God’s presence is what makes all the difference. (Ex 33: 13-16) Mess in life is unavoidable; we can either wallow in misery or receive God’s gift of joy. (John 17:3) Sin steals our joy, leaving us with only anxiety and worry. But when our sin is dealt with, when we know the blessing of forgiveness, then joy can bubble up and help us through the chaos of mess.
Having a willing spirit means that we will look at life with God’s eyes. We will live with eternity before us and will therefore find the strength to endure opposition and persecution and adversity and difficulties. Paul said, ‘I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.’ (Rom 8:18) We can survive mess, as David clearly demonstrates!
