Beloved, in our lesson on prayer today, if we were writing our prayers, the second entry is to admit or confess our sins. In our prayers of King David, we read much in Psalm 51. But before we look at Psalm 51, what prompted King David to pen these words? He was broken from his sin. And he prayed. Have you ever been hurt in spirit? Broken is our word today, and the definition is having been fractured or damaged and no longer in one piece or working order. Broken is used 133 times in the Bible, and the primary verse is Psalm 51:17.
What leads to King David’s broken spirit?
King David, a man after God’s own heart, suddenly failed to go to war; truthfully, he slacked on his job as King; he had an affair with Bathsheba and then tried to cover it up. When she became pregnant, he arranged for her husband to return from the war, but Urriah refused to sleep with Bathsheba. So King David arranged to have him killed in the line of duty. Who needs a soap opera when the Bible is so rich? However, the baby did not survive. King David moved on with his life until the prophet Nathan was sent to confront him in 2 Samuel 12.
Once this occurred, we read his confession of his sins in the King’s own words. Before we get King David’s prayer today, may I say confession is saying I did it. I am sorry. I admit I did it. There is no rationalization or excuse. In 1 John 1:9, God says if we confess our sins, he will forgive us. If, in your written prayers, you have written something too personal, a shredder works well; just saying.
Theme Verse
Our theme is verse 10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.’
Sin separates us from God. Becky Tirabassi once was asked, “Are you not worried your husband will read your confessions.” She said, No, because he tells me what to write.
Our King David Prayer
Today our prayer is in verse 12, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.”
Conclusion
What might be robbing your joy? Is your spirit willing to walk daily with the Lord? Here is Psalm 51 for your to read.
Spend some time with the Lord reading the whole prayer of King David and revel in how a broken man became whole. If your heart is broken, will you trust God with your broken heart?
Father God, I praise you that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. I confess that my joy is robbed by the struggles I face. Sometimes, I feel like my heart will never be whole. You are the Great Physician. Giving me relief from my migraine headaches is an answer to my prayer. Thank you for your love, in Jesus’s name. Amen
