Cleanse My Heart

During these Days of Awe, as we self-reflect and repent of what God shows us (Steps 4–10), praying David’s Psalm 51 can help. Try praying it daily—or more.

I love this prayer and the painfully instructive failings that inspired it. We want to learn from David’s experience and apply the wisdom he learned the hard way. David himself tells God, “Then I will teach your ways to sinners, and they will return to you” (v. 13).

There’s nothing more powerful than sharing our true stories as encouragement—and as warnings. That’s one reason recovery rooms can be so transformative. We get to witness the real-life power of the elegantly distilled steps of surrender, repentance, confession, and restitution. We also see what happens when we refuse them.

Everybody knows the story of David and Bathsheba. King David, a man passionately faithful, brave, noble, and outstanding in countless ways, went completely off the rails and caused an epic disaster that harmed his family and nation for years to come.

Hindsight is 20/20. We know the backstory: David started to believe his own press, blinded by success and the adoration of his subjects.

Money, power, and influence are dangerous intoxicants. Without serious guardrails, they can derail the very best of us. We can become dangerously delusional, only to be jolted awake in a mega-mess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_NaVTpWIOI

Where David shines is here: when confronted, he immediately—immediately—admitted his fault and repented, genuinely heartbroken over his self-blind sin. He took prompt action to try to repair the damage.

These past few years, I’ve learned how easily even the best of us can fall prey to ego—edging God out. The greater the talent and calling, the tighter the reins need to be to guard against drift.

There is nothing scarier than being disconnected from God. He doesn’t move. We do. And we want to re/turn.

As you pray this prayer and God shows you things about yourself you didn’t see or know, re/turn to Him.

“But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (1 John 1:9, NLT)

PRAY: Psalm 51