“You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”
Psalm 51:17b, NLT
Devotional from the Dancing in the Desert Devotional Bible
David had sinned against Bathsheba and her husband, Uriah, and then
seemed to live in denial about the gravity of the situation. Only when Nathan the prophet confronted David with a piercing parable did the king see his sin. And unlike many kings who would have put the pesky prophet to death or banished him from the royal courts, David broke down in confession and repentance. He grieved. And he saw his offense against Bathsheba and Uriah as a sin against God himself (51:4).
Few things in life seem as hopeless as our own guilt. The sense of futility
and alienation is crushing. While many run from a painfully honest admission of guilt, we know that’s the only place to find restoration. And God is a restorer by nature. He doesn’t reject a broken spirit. He absorbs the penalty of sin himself. When we overcome pride and admit our brokenness, he repairs it and renews our joy.
Chris Tiegreen is an award-winning author of more than 50 books and discussion guides that have been translated into more than 30 languages and read by more than 5 million people worldwide. He is also a collaborative/supporting writer for other communicators (i.e., ghostwriter) on more about 20 book projects, and writer of hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles on a wide variety of topics. His experiences in media, ministry, and higher education bring a unique perspective to his writing, which often focuses on cultural commentary and devotional themes. He and his family currently live in Atlanta.