Please Forgive Me Like David
You know, one of my favourite characters in the Bible is King David. In fact, in the morning services here at eMseni, we've been talking about David for the last six weeks or so, and we've been relating to him because he's just a normal man, not some sort of spiritual superhero. He did well in many ways, but he struggled in others too.
What I like about David is that in his Psalms you often find the phrase please forgive me or something to that effect on his lips. Psalm 51 is the great example. David had an affair, he committed murder. He really messed up, and eventually he came to recognise his sin and the debt that he owed God.
David's Cry for Mercy
He says these famous words in Psalm 51: "Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love.” Please forgive me, in other words.
He says the same thing in Psalm 41:4. When he was sick, he said: "Lord, be kind to me. I've sinned against You, but forgive me, make me well."
What about this from Psalm 25:11: "For the honour of Your name, O Lord, forgive my many, many sins."
And then there was the time when he took a census when God had told him not to, and when he recognised his disobedience, we read: "David said to God, 'I have sinned greatly by taking the census. Please forgive my guilt for doing this foolish thing.'" (1 Chronicles 21:8)
Real Repentance in Real Life
When we read them like this, they sound a little dry and lifeless. But can you picture David on his knees, with tears in his eyes, with his head hanging low, saying: "Lord, what have I done? How could I mess up this way? How could I have let You down so badly? O Lord, please forgive me."
Maybe this sounds familiar to you. If you're really honest, you look at your life and you think: I've let God down.
But here's the truth, friends: that guilt will eat you up. But if you confess and come to God and say please forgive me, and receive His forgiveness, it'll bring you the peace that you need, because He does forgive when we come to Him in faith and repent.
The Best News for the Broken
This is the good news, friends: God doesn't want to punish you. He wants to forgive you and bring you His grace and pour out His mercy into your life. And so yes, we owe Him much - 10,000 bags of gold as we learned earlier in the week.
But if we fall at His feet in repentance, He will write off the debts. This is the best news - the best news - and the path to peace.
Now today, friend, like David who found God's forgiveness, you can find it too.
