Have mercy on me, O God.

Today’s Scripture: Psalm 51:1, NIV- “For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.”

When you feel you have blown it again do you run towards God or away from Him? Have you ever asked God for mercy? David had been called out by Nathan back in 2 Samuel 12 because of his adultery with Bathsheba and we can learn from his next steps.

In 2 Samuel 12 David confessed his sins and suffered consequences. Here in Psalm 51, he asks God for mercy and puts his trust in God’s unfailing love. God is already aware of our transgressions, and we cannot hide them or ourselves from God.

Step one of Celebrate Recovery is “We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable.” When our pain is beyond what we can manage we must cry out to a power greater than ourselves.

We also have a tendency in our hurts, habits, and hang-ups to isolate ourselves. We hide from people and God. We are only acting like toddlers who think you cannot see them only because they have covered their own eyes. In Psalm 51:9 David asks God to hide His face from his sins. As Lesson One in the CR Step book states, “God’s light shines on the truth. Our denial only keeps us in the dark.

1 John 5-7 puts it this way “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.” (NLT)

When we ask God for mercy it opens our eyes and hearts. We must not overthink, we must simply ask. As Psalm 51:10 promises God will create a pure heart in us and renew the right spirit within us if we ask.

David teaches us in Psalm 51:17 that when we present our broken spirits and contrite hearts to God, we find His love and the restoration of His Holy Spirit in us.

Will you ask God for mercy today?

Today’s Prayer: Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to Your abundant mercy please blot out my transgressions. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. I am welcoming Your Holy Spirit LORD. I present to You my broken spirit, my broken and contrite heart. Renew me with Your loving Spirit. Open my lips so I may declare Your praise. Amen.