Uphold me with THY Free Spirit!

2 Samuel 12 I skipped the weekend readings and I am glad that I did. I hate hearing of great men stumbling and falling, here and there. This was the man after God’s own heart. I always say, when I get there, what hope is there?

Where is the hope if David, who knew God’s presence in victories and defeats, the same, was such a fallen one, here? Thank God for back-up men. Thank God for men who have the stability to reset the fallen pillars. This was Nathan's part, here. God's restorer. The Holy Spirit himself gave the marching orders for that correction. What wisdom and right setting of corrected priorities. Some men wouldn’t have been corrected. Saul had Samuel and couldn't receive the correction at all. Samuel wouldn't even dare go to Saul with a correction. He said, "God do you want Saul to kill me?" Some men couldn’t have been addressed on the issue. This is what made David the man after God’s own heart. His heart was sharpened to continue to pursue righteousness, even against his stubborn persistent remaining sins.

Psalm 51…Then (when I am restored) I will teach transgressors Thy way and sinners will be converted unto Thee.

Is this our prayer in corrections? Is this what we are enabled by the Holy Spirit to pursue, in our constant struggles and foibles. Pursuing God and other’s souls for God. David won others hearts by his dearness. David won women’s hearts by his strength and conquering, but these things mean nothing, if at last his soul was lost. It wasn’t though. His soul was secure in Christ, who was still to come. God would cleanse David’s seed to the last dregs of sinfulness in order to bring the Messiah through his lineage. HE had to believe that he was a sinner and needed a sacrifice for his sins and that this sacrifice would be powerful enough to justify his soul and justify his communion with God, which had been pre-paid. God came to them before the price had been paid. He was communing with them on credit, as it were. David believed. Nathan believed that his words wouldn’t fall on deaf ears. He wisely entreated the King of the Jews. He didn’t rashly come before his thrown with, even just and right accusations. It could have been another way. He could have been the next Urriah suffering and dying in the wrathful moment of unresolved conflict with God. God said enough is enough. David received the reproof as from His mighty Savior.

All my sins on Jesus are laid. David’s sins put Jesus on the cross and my sins did, also. The prepaid and the postpaid, just the same. God, the father is cleansing the personal and the private sins and the public sins in Christ’s ever effective payment. Will we believe in the future redemption of the body, as the Old Testament Saints believed in the future communion with God in Christ? Jesus said qoting Ps 110:1 “How could David say “The Lord said to my Lord” sit here until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?” David really believed in a conquering Messiah, whose payment justified the present reality of God’s communion with His people. We must believe that the payment having been paid that we have peace with God.

Does our restoration teach transgressors God’s way? Does our sin drive us to our Savior for cleansing and healing? Does our reproof lead us to believe God’s truth about us? God grant our souls true and rich communion with You, without which there is no salvation. In Jesus’ Name, Amen