How many times in today’s world do we see leaders fall into sins that affect their families and an entire nation? In a world of social media, the internet, and uncountable ways to track people’s conversations, we hear daily of leaders cheating, lying, stealing, and being involved in immorality. Instead of accepting the blame and consequences for what they have done, we find men and women spending millions of dollars to try to cover up their sins and blame someone else. How refreshing it would be to see them repenting and taking responsibility for their actions. What an impact they would have on others if they were completely honest. The true gospel could reach the world in a matter of minutes!
As I was studying this morning Psalm 51, one of my favorite chapters, and Psalm 139, once again I am reminded of God’s plan for reaching the world.
In Psalm 51, David is speaking to God after the horrible consequences of his sin. He repents and begs God to forgive him and use him. What is interesting to me is the last sentence of verse 13. After being forgiven and restored, he is now ready to teach others about God. Because of his actions, sinners will come to God themselves.
Psalm 51:10-13 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”
In Psalm 139, God reveals to us that he knows everything about us. He knew us before we were born. He knew our tendencies, our likes, and dislikes. He knew the sin we would participate in and the times we would call on Him. David wrote this psalm also and is affirming God’s omnipresence. There is no need to try to hide your sin because the one that really matters knows everything. In Psalm 139:1 David says, “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.” David ends the Psalm with a request to search him and reveal to him what isn’t right in his life.
Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.”
David gives us a pattern in these two Psalms. A pattern that not only allows us to be right with a Holy God but a pattern that allows us to influence those who don’t know God. This is the pattern for winning the lost in the world.
We need to follow David’s example and fall on our faces before a holy God. We need to see ourselves as he sees us. We need to ask him to expose our sins to our hearts and minds, which are so easily deceived. Once we acknowledge our sins, we need to repent. Then we can beg for his holy conviction on lost people we know. Then, we can be like David teaching transgressors His, way so that sinners will be converted.
Are our altars dry and sinners unconverted because we see ourselves as ok, and don’t seek the very best in our walk with God? Do we see our areas of weakness as mere imperfections as humans, instead of acknowledging them as a sin that needs to be eradicated from our lives? Light exposes the darkness of our souls, as we get closer to Jesus his light will reveal what is really in our hearts. And yes, the things that most Christians see as our liberty will be seen as a sin to us. Why will we see it as a sin? Because of the light, Jesus will show us how it is unlike him. Praise God for the process of sanctification! May we grow every day to be like him for our sakes, but most of all for the sake of a lost world. How do we reach the world? We live like Jesus and love like Jesus.
