Psalm 51

When I first got saved, it took me some time to digest what it meant to be a new creation in Jesus.

I had to unlearn the toxic examples of faith I had seen throughout my life to grab a hold of the God of the Bible. I learned that there was no number of holy acts I could perform or good deeds I could do to earn the love of the Father; it was already freely given to me. Nor did those acts and deeds define how “saved” I was. My salvation is wholly and completely in the person of Jesus Christ, and His Word tells me that I am an image-bearer - meaning I have the ability to behave like Christ, have a mind like Christ, and be more like Christ each and every day.

I had to acknowledge that once I accepted Jesus the old me is gone and the new me is here. Which, for me, meant I could no longer place priority on all the good things I did for God; instead, I needed to allow His Word to wash over me. I needed to be transformed in every which way, and that meant I had to show up broken and with a heart of repentance. And we hear that word sometimes and want to run, because it sounds condemning, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. You see, repentance isn’t just asking forgiveness. It is a turning away from the things that put a wedge between us and God.

Repentance is a gift that keeps us close to the Father.

Psalm 51: 15-19 says:

Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem.

Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

David got it right in this passage because he is acknowledging that there is no sacrifice that could outweigh God’s desire for your obedience. God already made the sacrifice by giving His one and only Son Jesus to take on our sin and present us blameless in His sight. Therefore, it is our repentance God desires; it is our obedience that He wants.

Today, may you know that you serve a God who isn’t interested in empty sacrifices, but your obedience to live a God-honoring life. Why? Because He cares about the sincerity of your heart to please Him.

Allow that to be the compass that guides you.

Som Tami

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