Dear God, I Messed Up...
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Working Definition for this Series:
“Recognizing Who God is, and responding appropriately.”
ESV
Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!
Anytime we recognize God for who he is, there is a response: Here through the lens of the book of Psalms…
Dear God, I Messed Up…
At some point, our sin catches up with us—whether it’s hidden or not—follower of Jesus or not, our sin has a way (regardless of size) to shipwreck us…
As followers of Jesus, we have the promise of hope that when we are a NEW CREATION because of grace—but we are still of sin nature and capable of sin DAILY
So how do we respond in the wake of sin’s consequence?
“What should we do when we sin?”
King David’s Blueprint in :
“Prayer of the Penitent”
Context found in
King David, “a man after God’s own heart”, has failing of epic proportions…
- In a time of war, he stays home—and gets bored
- Went up the roof, saw Bathsheba, knew she was married to one of his warriors, Uriah, but still took her in and slept with her anyway
- Time passes: She has conceived!
- Panic Mode: bring Uriah home to “be with” Bathsheba—but he won’t go home.
- David even gets Uriah drunk in hopes of him going home, but Uriah still won’t do it
- David orders Uriah sent to the front line “where fighting is the fiercest” – essentially having him killed
- After Uriah’s death, he brings Bathsheba in as his own wife—but while the cover up seems successful, GOD is greatly displeased.
- God sends Nathan the prophet to call him out—and David is had…
Deceit, Adultery, Murder and Misuse of Privilege and Power – these are the sins this Penitent Psalm are for…
-- hard earned wisdom
1. God is Righteous and Merciful
1. God is Righteous and Merciful
ESV
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
Eloheem – Supreme God
God as our Righteousness - the standard (justified), not shaming…
But that doesn’t mean God is ANGRY all the time with everyone else who doesn’t measure up…
YOU are not the OFFENSE to GOD, rather it’s your SIN that’s OFFENSIVE
You’ve written yourself off…
David gets it—he’s truly messed up—but he knows GOD still loves him with a merciful:
Steadfast love - goodness, kindness, faithfulness
ESV
according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
GOD is rich in love and mercy for us—yet still desires righteousness in us… the response is:
2. OWN Your SIN
2. OWN Your SIN
If we are ever going to move past the sin that is holding us back…
Listen to the humble plea to God based solely on mercy
-- David, the king, could do no more to try to remove this sin: he must own it
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.
Humility Stance based in WONDER (FEAR):
- I have sinned--ever before me
- I was born of sin, and therefore sinful
- God is righteous
- My sin is against YOU (GOD)
It is now finally being called sin, and confessed before God
What I find interesting about this story is oddly enough not the fact of what David did, but the fact that he has taken this long to reach a point of wanting God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Think about it for a second, because had he prayed this prayer before he even got in this situation with Bathsheba, it would not have gone as far as it did.
I make this point especially for those who feel like “they’re not that bad”, or “have everything under control”, or “would never go this far”.
It’s funny, I don’t remember starting with,
“David woke up one morning looking to have an affair, and eventually kill his lover’s husband.”
Nobody ever starts out with the “Big Sins” right?
IL: Every time I have to pull “BIG” weeds, I am reminded of this in my life
David was already acting in disobedience (not going to war) & probably had no accountability for his lust issues…
OWN Your Sin…
3. Don’t Just Change—GROW!
3. Don’t Just Change—GROW!
It is possible to OWN our sins, and not change a thing…
The Apology. You commonly hear it like this:
“I’m just sorry I got caught!” In partial repentance there is no desire for change, we just want to get out of trouble! (feel better about myself)
You can apologize and “Change” but be worse off in your change…
GROWING in OWNING means REPENTANCE
Repentance assumes full responsibility for the sin. It doesn’t place blame or create excuse. It is simply: “God I messed up, I need your forgiveness and grace. Show me what I must do to make this right.”
Penitent - feeling or expressing humble or regretful pain or sorrow for sins or offenses
This is the path to TRUTH
ESV
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
This isn’t just about getting out of trouble! It’s about a reversal in me so deep that my very way of living is transformed!
(NIV)
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
This sorrow we see is not a guilt or shame to belittle or degrade us. This is a righteous reminder that we need repentance constantly!
We have to stop seeing a guilty conscience as another way God is getting at us. This is not meant to belittle us. It is truly a calling to righteousness!
God doesn’t want to ruin your life, or keep you from having fun. He wants you to have real life, real joy!
God’s commands are not about making Bad People Good—they’re about making what is Dead COME ALIVE!
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.
This Prayer Just Got Real. It’s no longer an apology—it is repentance.
GROW IN YOUR CHANGE…knowing God doesn’t just leave you there:
4. SING the NEW SONG
4. SING the NEW SONG
GROWING from our sin is not about removing the penalty and consequences
YES, God removes our eternal condemnation—but the earthly stuff remains.
(loss of job, jail time, trust loss, loss of ministry)
David loses this child, and brings more consequences on his family and ultimately nation
To “SING” a NEW SONG in this, we must be restored to the joy of salvation!
ESV
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Look at the cause and effect here:
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.
Then I will pass it along… chains are broken, others should know this!
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.
We can’t truly worship God, until we are “delivered”… We can’t see the power of salvation until we recognize the savior!
NLT
Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all.
I don’t care your perceived level of sin (small or giving David a run for his money) – HE FORGIVES THEM ALL.
We’re about to celebrate communion…
- Jesus is now the sacrifice
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.
(NLT)
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
-Prayer