Week 3, DAY 6

 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy  blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.  4 Against you, you only, have I sinned  and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.  7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.  10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,     and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.  13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.  14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.  15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.  16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; 19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar. Psalm 51 (ESV)

This is a Psalm written by King David. He was a broken, guilt ridden and repentant man whose
transgressions were great. He was caught in sin and he tried with all his might to cover it up, but when his
sin was exposed he was called out for his wickedness. In this Psalm I find there are two lessons in this Psalm.

The first lesson is, if you continue in sin long enough, it will catch up to you. The second
lesson is a reminder of the many privileges you have as a follower of Jesus Christ, when you acknowledge
and repent from your sins.

You are privileged, because through Jesus…

1. You are granted mercy: 1 Peter 1:3 assures us that you can know mercy is available to you through  Jesus Christ. Since God is merciful you can experience the opportunity to receive the gifts of salvation and the new birth.
   
   
2. You are forgiven: According to 1 John 1:9 you can know that you are truly forgiven if you confess your sins to God and seek his forgiveness. If you repent and ask for forgiveness, you will receive forgiveness.
   
   
3. You are cleansed: 1 Cor. 6:11 assures us that in Jesus Christ you are made clean. Some of your past experiences may be more colorful than others, but it is important to know that are all sinners and unworthy of the Kingdom of God. However, when God called you to be his son or daughter you were cleansed, you were sanctified or made holy, and you were justified or made right with God through Jesus Christ. 
   
   
4. You are a new creations: 2 Cor. 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come.” Not only are you clean but you are a NEW creation. You are not a better version of your old self, you are a new you and your old sinful  nature has passed away and now all things are new. If you are a believer in Jesus, then you have been made right and your relationship has been restored with God.
   
   

These truths should excite you and cause you to give glory to God, because of these gifts and blessings.  If you continue to live in your sins, they will eventually catch up to you, however, if you confess and repent you are
privileged because you are forgiven and cleansed by Jesus Christ.