Psalm 51:1-19 Perhaps few things make one feel dirtier than to have walked close to God and fall into a sin that you thought you had conquered. The enemy can make you feel like you have passed the point of no return - that you have become a reject. I'm sure that David's sin with Bathsheba was not the first time that David struggled with lust. Probably not the first time that he had watched Bathsheba. He probably thought that he had the whole thing under control. Sin is not something that one can participate in, in controlled doses. You don't control sin, it controls you. This sin of lust that David played with one too many times, that he thought he had "under control" carried him over the edge and set him on a path that he couldn't or at least wouldn't turn back from. More than likely he justified himself with lies until Nathan the prophet came and laid out before him God's truth. Psalm 51 is David's heart cry after the words of Nathan sunk in and he felt like so much garbage in the presence of a holy God. He pleads for mercy and forgiveness and to be cleansed from the wickedness of his sin. He acknowledges that it is against God that he has sinned. In verse 6 he says that, "surely You desire truth in the inward parts;" Just to look good on the outside is not enough. Usually we can make a pretty good showing on the outside, but on the inside - well, we are mighty thankful that other people don't see that. We would do well to learn to sincerely pray with David, "Create in me a pure heart, 0 God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Verse 10). On our part it requires a burning desire to be holy before our God; a repentance from our sins, stubbornness and inadequacies; and a drawing near and staying close to our Savior. God doesn't want our sacrifices. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart..."(V. 17). Holiness is God's desire for us. Let it be our heart's cry.

Is Holiness What You Long For?