Bites Out of Life's Apple

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise" (Psalm 51:17).

Brokenness! Who of us wants to admit we are broken? There is something so endearing about this psalm. David, the man after God's own heart, has broken just about every rule in the Book, and he stands before God and all of us a condemned man, a man so distinguished, now full of shame, humiliated and broken. It could never happen to us, could it? But - let us take heed lest we fall!

What makes us broken? Is it that TV program we know we should not be watching? Is it that extra piece of pie? Is it that wink when we are slicing up someone's reputation? Is it that lustful glance at the blond who lives next door? Is it that witty rejoinder that will put yet another hole into the heart of our spouse? Small things (but let us remember that, in God's eyes and heart, gradations of sin are not acceptable) to be sure, but life is made up or torn down by the small things, the bites out of Life's apple.

Why were David's sins even published in the Bible? I personally think all the sins in the Bible are there to let us know that even the great fall. We have daily proof of this in all our lives. But the joyous part is God's forgiveness. Psalm 51 is one of the most encouraging and golden writings in the entire Bible. We are asked to offer a contrite heart. In today's milieu of situation ethics I'm not sure we would even recognize contrition. That would require self-abasement, and this is politically incorrect in today's atmosphere of self-congratulations from womb to tomb. How sad! Unfortunately our new-type churches pander to our me and my-ism when we should rush to the Cross and grasp it with tears!

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10). Our outer world changes constantly, but since time began our inner world remains the same--to quote an unknown author, "the great inner world of joy and sorrow, love and hate, faith and unbelief, nobleness and baseness, holiness and sin, is the same today as in Judaea three thousand years ago."

Oh Father, thank You for Your forgiveness. Please give me a pure heart and a steadfast spirit today!