10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. 14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

David sinned and when confronted with his sin, he admitted his sin against God. God told him that he was forgiven. While his sin was ever before him and he had to suffer consequences of his sin for the rest of his life, he knew that he was truly forgiven.

He set his heart on not sinning any more. (He failed in this attempt but his heart was right.) He asked God to help him in this quest to be pure. In spite of what he had done, he did not give up on God. Rather, he asked that God not take his Holy Spirit from him. David knew that if he were going to be what God wanted him to be, he would need the help of God in every way.

He then demonstrated a two-fold reaction to this forgiveness and renewed spirit to serve God. First, he said he would tell others about the gracious salvation of the Lord. Secondly, he said he would sing praises to God who saves him.

We need to be willing to admit when we sin and then believe God when he promises to forgive us. Too many live with guilt that is no longer there in the mind of God. There is no sin too big or too horrible that God cannot (and will not) forgive us. The most difficult part is not God being able to forgive. The most difficult part is for us to humble ourselves, admit our sin and then to accept God’s forgiveness thru the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf.

Like David, we need to have a renewed heart to serve God rather than give up because we have sinned. For some, this is an excuse to quit serving God. The fact is, we have all sinned and we all need God’s forgiveness. Paul said he had been forgiven as the chief of sinners to show that God can actually forgive anyone of anything. Let’s rejoice in and share the good news of forgiveness thru Jesus Christ with those around us.

O God, I thank you that you love me even when I have sinned. I thank you for the sacrifice of Jesus, you Son on my behalf. Give me a willing heart to humble myself and admit my sin. Give me a renewed heart that with the presence of your Spirit, I can become more like you. Give me zeal to share your gracious forgiveness with those around me. I pray in Jesus’ name.

May God bless each of us as we accept his forgiveness.