King David finds himself on his face before God here because of his decision to "act" on his desires and his lust over another man's wife (story in 2 Samuel 11) and he morns the fact that his actions had grieved the Holy Spirit of God. To me, it seems easy to see the wrinkled brow of the king as he weeps before God. He pleads with God not to "cast me away from Thy presence".
Are there any of us who want to be "cast away from God?" I think probably not. However, most every day I take some sort of action that is "displeasing" to my Father in Heaven and I am ever so thankful that I grieve when I recognize my sin. Because it brings me to my knees in repentance before my God who is waiting patiently to forgive me.
I think of Proverbs 20:22 that says, "Do not say, I will repay evil. Wait for the Lord, and He will save you." I'm brought to that scripture when someone hurts me and I am reminded that "vengeance" is not mine but rather the Lord's to take or leave as He sees fit (Romans 12:19). In fact it says "NEVER take your own revenge but leave room for the wrath of God..."! Someone has hurt you or said something about you that is "tearing at your heart" and you want to say something back or you want to slap them in the face. It could have been something from years ago but it still "cuts like a knife" today. But then we see Jesus' words in Matthew 5:38,39 that say, "You have heard that it was said, AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH! But I say to you, do not resist him who is evil; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also."
We are tested on every side, every day, every hour by the evil one and God reminds us that the evil is NOT ours to take our revenge on but rather His and in His time. We walk this earth carrying around "hurts" possibly from years past, and cannot release them to God. Each time we are reminded of that person or that incident, we want to pick up a board and seek our revenge. In the Beatitudes, Jesus says, "Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matt. 5:11,12). Does it really matter today, what that person may have done or said to you all those many years before?
Jesus was debating the Pharisees and the Sadducees and a lawyer comes to him wanting to know which of the commandments is the greatest. Jesus explains in Matt. 22:37-40, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." Again, after a review from the eyes of Jesus Christ, our Salvation, does it really matter what has been done to you? I take you back to my original scripture passage, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Thy presence, and do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation. And sustain me with a willing spirit."
Is it possible that God needs to restore to you, the joy of your salvation? I've heard it said hundreds of times before, "Let go and let God"!
Dave
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