Take Ownership

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
Psalm 51:1

This lesson from David's life has been taught many times, but that doesn't mean I won't bring it up again! Yes, the story has all the lurid sins that make up many a movie script in our time: temptation, lust, wickedness, adultery, attempted coverup, betrayal, and murder. Then the sinner goes about making plans for his new bride and son. Ah, but God watches always and sees His anointed king going about business as usual without the least sign of remorse. With God's word in hand, Nathan the prophet finally tells a story that outrages the king so much that death is decreed for the sinner. It is that classic story where everyone seems to be in the know but the protagonist. Finally, Nathan has to point out plainly and bluntly that it is David who is the miscreant in the story. Then, like that proverbial ton of bricks, the king sees his sin for what it is - transgression against God the Father. And our lesson begins with this model of confessional prayer. 

Your or my latest sin likely did not involve betraying a loyal soldier to his death after sinning against the man's marriage. At least we hope it wasn't that heinous. And thus do we declare our will that this sin against God or that other one is not as bad as those in the Bible stories. Hmm, yes, probably should ask the Judge and not the accused which crime is the worst of the worst. And so, whatever sin we have committed, we look to David's prayer to the Lord. Mercy, he asks, but not based on any thing the sinner may have but to those qualities the Lord presents to us in His goodness: lovingkindness and the multitude of His tender mercies. And finally the taking of ownership, David asks for a blotting out of his transgression, in other words, forgiveness of sin. 

May our confession be deep and heartfelt, and may we in Christ sin no more. 

Bucky