Cast Me Not Away From Your Presence
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Have you ever been in the presence of the Lord? Really, in His presence. There’s been a few moments in my walk with God that I can say I have felt His presence over me.
I didn’t see him. I could not hear him audibly. But it was undeniably real.
I want to talk to you about the presence of God this morning that is personal, intimate, and transforming. When you encounter it, it moves you.
It’s one thing to know that he is omnipresent, but it is altogether different from KNOWING the manifest presence of God in our lives.
Do you know THAT presence?
Why don’t we all know this presence in the same way? Why don’t all of us have an awe, and unexplainable joy, and peace, and why don’t we pray with fervency, passion, and from broken and contrite hearts?
There’s only one thing I can find in Scripture that is the answer to this and it’s our sin.
We stand in our own way of savoring the manifest presence of God.
I’m talking about a longing for His presence. Being desperate for a presence that you KNOW is good, and necessary for your soul.
Psalm 51 was recorded by King David in light of his sin with Bathsheba. I’ll briefly share that story in case you’re not familiar with it.
You can read the full story in 2 Samuel 11 and 12, but...
But this is the backdrop of Psalm 51. And I believe the hinge point for this whole Psalm is v10-12
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.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
That’s what I want us to think about this morning. That presence that we cannot be without. A presence that we MUST NOT lose!
Say this part with me. v11 Cast me not away…from your presence, and take not your holy Spirit from me.
But we cannot just arrive there in our own strength. David’s view of His sin before God brings him to a place of desperate pleading.
v1-2
Have MERCY on me, O God!
This is not a person who thinks lightly about sin, but understands his nature and his need.
Blot out my sin. Which speaks of a record of sin.
Wash me. And do it thoroughly.
Cleanse me...
All of this according to what…His abundant mercy.
He pleads for mercy BEFORE he ever mentions his sin.
v3. For I know my transgression and my sin is ever before me.
This is the right view of self.
And who do we sin against? We sin against people. But David’s view from his place of humiliation is that his sin is against God, and ONLY GOD!
And he understands that his heart, and the condition of sin is a justifiable reason for God’s judgement against him. Would you blame God if he were to judge you as a sinner?
We have no argument against divine justice.
And all of this, our sin, our view of self, our quickness to run for mercy, are signs of whether or whether we’re running to the presence of God as we should, or have become satisfied apart from being as near to him as is possible.
Have you become content with the distance between you and His presence?
He says BEHOLD twice. v5 and v6.
Behold I’m depraved
Behold, my sin goes down to the inner most part of me, and what you desire, is truth. And who can teach the heart? Only God!
v7 moves us toward the solution to our sin, and closer to His presence again.
Hyssop is a fragrant flower that was used to dip into the blood of the sacrifice and sprinkle upon the altar. It was used on the doorposts at the first passover. The priests would use it to cleanse what needed to be sanctified. Hyssop was also used for water purification. Most incredibly, a hyssop branch was used to give Jesus the drink of sour wine while hanging on the cross, and then he cried “It is finished”.
David recognized that this sprinkling was needed. The request is personal. Purge me! purify me.
Have you ever prayed this? Do any of you need to pray this right now? Purge me. God, search me. Know me. Holy Spirit, Apply what alone can cleanse me, the knowledge of my savior and faith in His sacrifice.
The resulting gladness is because of pardon.
Pardon must come first. And where does the continual pardon of the Christian come from? From Christ who alone can forgive sin.
If a sinner be pardoned by Christ who is merciful, that sinner will be filled with joy and gladness. Christians who are not glad and filled with joy are not looking at the greatness of their Savior.
Out of this place of sin that David found himself in, a place where he could not say that he was in the will God, God was lifting him up. In v9 we can see that he has this shame still “Hide your face from my sin.” but he cries out to God…this beautiful prayer in v10-12
Create in me...
We understand that a change of heart is only possible in the power of Jesus! When your plea is to the Creator, you’re recognizing you need far more than a reordering or rearranging of things. You need something only He can do.
Renew a right Spirit within me…the word for right could be better translated to steadfast. Give me a steadfast soul that stays fixed upon your will and desire.
Cast me NOT away from your presence and take not your Spirit from me.
What we know for sure is those that Christ casts away and forsakes are those who are unrepentant and without faith in Him on the last day. So the way we need to see this right now is to say to God. “God, don’t treat me as one that is not yours.” I’m yours God. Don’t leave me.
I need your presence. Don’t take your Spirit from me. I NEED your HOLY SPIRIT.
Imagine with me for a moment that your life is more desperate for Him than you’ve ever been, and your heart is anguished at the thought of ever NOT being in His presence. What sin would you still not forsake? What bitterness do you still cling to? What fear still remains?
Here I am Lord, I’m broken. I need you. Without you I’ll fail. My sin hinders me, but you’ve covered that. Why cannot I not feel your presence like I need to?
And this is our way to restoration of Joy, not happiness. Joy in salvation. Because there are days when that’s the one good thing we can thank God about, but praise God it’s the greatest gift on earth. We do not lack when we are in Him.
Church, his presence is power. Have we forgotten this?
When you’re in His presence, and He’s near to you he will search your heart, you will fight your sin, you will love His holiness, you will love God, love neighbor, and repent in humility before Him.
The manifest presence of God is most clearly seen in the incarnate Son of God, Immanuel. He tabernacled with us.
Remember the tent of meeting in Exodus?
It was a temporary tent used by moses before the tabernacle was constructed. The tabernacle was also temporary, and was used by Isreal while they wandered in the dessert.
7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp.
See that? Everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting.
Then the tabernacle was constructed, and it was moved from place to place, and at the center of it was where God said he would meet with His people, with Moses as their mediator.
But that’s where his presence was. Why not accessible to everyone? Because sin stood in the way.
Everything about the arrangement of the tabernacle was about the presence of God.
It was to be in the center of the nations camp.
It was to go with them as they traveled.
The priests did not commune with an image in the tabernacle, but with the very presence of God.
When the temple was constructed, there was a table that was to be constructed called the table of bread. On it was to be placed what is called, The Bread of Presence. 12 loaves were baked and placed fresh there each Sabbath. A loaf to represent each tribe of Israel.
Why? Because God’s presence was to be seen as abiding, and sustaining, and as more necessary than food for the body.
Why does anyone not want this presence? It is only because of sin.
And what do we find in His presence? Fruitfulness of life. Growth. Praise. Boldness. An intimate awareness of what pleases the Lord.
look at v13-17
Some of you have not dwelt in the presence of God any more than the knowledge that grace saved you. So you’re motionless, and powerless to do the things God commands.
Some of you have seen this in your past, but you’ve wandered away and drifted.
Others of you are in it, you’re basking in him, depending on him, delighting in him, and yet, your sin is still ever before you, so you’re want more. Wither way, what do we need to pray as we close this morning? God, show us your presence, and once we’re there, never leave. Cast me not away! Hide me in the shelter of your wings. Break me, and let my broken bones rejoice!