That Divine Comforts May Be Restored

Have you ever noticed when you have unconfessed sin how little, if any, you think of much less talk of the Lord Jesus Christ? Only a complete hypocrite is willing to preach God’s Word and share the gospel all the while burdened with unconfessed sin. That one is a pitiful soul. But most rebellious Christians live their backslidden lives as though they were never saved. It’s easier to deal with the guilt but it only adds to the misery of your life. You see without a restored relationship with the Heavenly Father and a church home, the Christian is an orphan in this world.

David remembered the closeness he had with God and because of his sin with Bathsheba he knew that he had given up his heavenly joy. After he confesses his sin and asks God to renew his heart, David asks God for something much needed:

    “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You.” (Psalm 51:12-13)

Notice the progression here; before I teach lost souls about Jesus so they can be converted to Christianity I must be restored by the Lord. Our old friend Matthew Henry, speaking of David, puts it this way:

    “He knew he had by his sin grieved the Holy Spirit, and provoked Him to withdraw. He prays that Divine comforts may be restored to him. When we give ourselves cause to doubt our interest in salvation, how can we expect the joy of it? This had made him weak; he prays, I am ready to fall, either into sin or despair; therefore uphold me with thy Spirit. Thy Spirit is a free Spirit, a free Agent himself, working freely. And the more cheerful we are in our duty, the more constant we shall be to it.”

When we are walking in splendid fellowship with Jesus, we love being in church, we crave God’s Word, and the joy of the Lord is so prevalent in our hearts we cannot but help share it with others. My restoration now becomes my testimony. I can talk to the wayward sinner and tell him about a Jesus who not only forgives us our sins, but He restores us and gives us a joy that is only possible through heavenly salvation. And when the wayward sinner gives his or her life to Jesus then together we can sing praises unto the Lord:

    “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.” (Psalm 34:1-3)

Go and read Psalm 34 and see if you do not literally feel David’s excitement about his Lord! The praises just literally flow from out of your very core. Chris Tomlin puts it this way in the chorus of a song:

    How can I keep from singing Your praise
    How can I ever say enough
    How amazing is Your love
    How can I keep from shouting Your name
    I know I am loved by the King
    And it makes my heart want to sing

Does Jesus’ love make your heart want to sing or do you have a funeral dirge in your soul?

If you can keep from singing God’s praise then ask Jesus why that is so.

If you have nothing to say about the Lord, if you never share Him with anyone, what does that say about the joy of His salvation?

If you are able to keep from shouting Jesus’ name, could it be you’ve forgotten how amazing His love is?

Do you know you are loved by King Jesus?

Or are you still burdened by the guilt of your sin?

Perhaps your guilt does not allow you to speak of the Lord.

It does not have to be that way.

More on that tomorrow.

In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4

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    Copyright © 2010 David Jeffers

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