Week 3: Psalm 6
Psalm 6
In seasons of excess, my heart is tempted to succumb to sinful habits and desires. Like uncontrolled weeds, temptation grows and slowly wraps itself around my heart and mind, consuming my waking hours. Left unchecked and unchallenged, temptation gives birth to sin, and before I know it, I am knee deep struggling with sinful patterns in my heart, unable to defeat them on my own.
David understood this struggle. In his sin, he lusted for another man's wife, and when he found out she was pregnant with his child, he ordered for her husband to be murdered in battle. He covered his tracks, and in doing so, fell deeper into the pangs of sin. David's reaction was to hide, run away from the consequences of sin, and to minimize his offense.
My heart is just like David's. I flirt with temptation and it gives birth to sin. Sometimes, I am so familiar with a particular sin that I do not see its gravity or feel its impact. Other times, when the consequences of sin are visible, I hide in my shame, run away from the Lord, and work hard to defeat sin on my own.
Read Psalm 6 one more time, and take a moment to examine your own heart and identify areas of sin in your life.
But God, in his rich mercy and compassion, does not leave us where we are in our sin.
The Lord used the prophet Nathan to confront David's hidden sin. When exposed, David did not continue to run. In repentance, he acknowledged his sin, the Lord's holiness, and cried out for the Lord's mercy and forgiveness through this Psalm.
Today, the Lord uses the Holy Spirit to bring conviction of sin in our lives. He calls us to repentance, and invites us to come, to draw near the throne of grace and find forgiveness in the blood of the Lamb (Heb. 4:16).
Because of Jesus Christ's life, death, resurrection, and ascension, we don't have to hide in our sin. We can taste the mercy and forgiveness of the Lord in our lives, and experience the freedom from sin that Jesus gained on our behalf. David waited and set his hope on this promise, but we have seen it fulfilled! What a glorious truth, praise the Lord for his mercy shown to us in Christ!
Sister, this may resonate with you as you are burdened with the weight of sin in your life, aware of the deep patterns of sin, or living the consequences of it. Instead of running or hiding, come to the throne of grace to receive mercy and help in your time of need. The Lord will not reject you. Because of the shed blood of the Lamb, he will cover you, cleanse you, and renew you. Therefore, just like David, come!
Additional readings: 2 Samuel 11 and 12.
-Fernie
My name is Fernie, and the Lord has given me a great passion to encourage women to grow and deepen their understanding of Scripture and apply it in the context of their daily lives. I am a wife, mom and I work full time as a social worker with vulnerable children. In my free time, you will find me exploring the outdoors, reading different genres of books, and pursuing a Master of Divinity at Southern Baptist Seminary. I am originally from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas, and I live with my husband and son in Connecticut. You can find more of my articles at the Gospel Coalition, Well-Watered Women, Women & Work, B&H reviews, and Goodreads.