April 15 – Reading 105

APRIL 15 – Reading 105

by John Christian Pra | April 15

“CLEAN MY HEART”
(2 Samuel 11:2-12:25; Psalm 51:1-19)

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” – Psalm 51:10

The story of David and Bathsheba is one of the most well-known failures of David’s Kingship. The drama is intense. David takes a man’s wife, makes her pregnant, then after realizing his sin, seeks to cover it up by coercing her husband to drunkenness and then sending him home to try and make it seem like the child is his. When this doesn’t work, he goes further and commands that Uriah stands in the worst of the battle while his fellow soldiers retreat around him. Later on, this sin causes chaos in David’s house. A child who dies at birth, a warring household. All of this because of a sin that spiraled out of control. 

Sin begets sin. 

Finally, when David’s eyes are opened to the magnitude of his sin in the eyes of the Lord, his demeanor changes. He stops running and hiding, trying to manipulate the situation for his gain. Instead, he recognizes his sin and the consequences that are to come. 

The next part however takes courage. David doesn’t run from God in fear, but rather runs towards God knowing that His restoration is the only way back to life. The enemy will always seek to use shame to separate us from God, but our Heavenly Father calls us to Himself even when we fall into sin. 

Psalm 51 is a song David penned after being exposed by Nathan the prophet and his heart’s cry in this song is to be cleansed by God. To be forgiven. To be able to once again experience the joy that his sin had robbed in his life.

David knew where to go to be cleansed from his sin, where his conscience could be restored and his life brought back to joy. That place of cleansing was God.  And it still is. Now, because of the blood of Jesus, we are also able to be washed from our sin. 1 John 1:7 finishes by saying, “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Run to Jesus with your sin today and He will cleanse you.  

Reflections: 

• What sin in your life do you desire to be cleansed from that has been constant / out of control?
• Where do you run when you are convicted with your sin?
• What sin is God calling you to confess so that you may be set free?

Application: 

• Find a trusted Christian to confess your sin to as a step to recognizing your brokenness and sharing your desire to be cleansed. 
• Read through Psalm 51 again and allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse your heart and conscience. 
• Recognize that sin does not only hurt us, but those around us. Sin begets sin. 

Closing Prayer…
Holy Father, I come before you today desiring your cleansing in my heart. I recognize my own sinfulness and the things that keep me from drawing near to you. Today, I thank you that as I come to you in repentance, I can receive the cleansing that came from Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice on the Cross, and shedding your blood that I might be cleansed from sin. Thank you Jesus, that as I confess my sin to you and others, you are faithful and that you cleanse me from unrighteousness. Free me from sin, I pray. Amen.