April 30, 2003
Reading
“You do not delight in burnt offering” (16)
David’s heart was broken when he penned these
words. He had been confronted by Nathan with his sin and its impact overwhelmed
his soul. The Holy Spirit showed him that no matter how many bulls he offered,
they were insufficient to atone for his sin. His son, Solomon, was later to
offer 22,000 bulls and 120,000 sheep (1 Kings 8:63), but even that would not
have been enough to restore the joy of David’s salvation (12). On this very
solemn and personal occasion, the Holy Spirit showed David that his
relationship with God was one of the heart, not of bulls and sheep. While it is
true that God established the sacrificing of bulls to atone for the sins of His
people, it had little to do with a joyful and effective relationship with Him.
David wanted the joy of his salvation to be
restored (12), and his mouth to shout forth the praises of God (15). He wanted
to see sinners converted and to be the instrument that introduced them to God
(13). When one of God’s children falls into sin, we do not need another Savior,
neither does the occasion call for Jesus to again shed His blood - His blood
was shed once and for all (Heb 7:26-27). If His blood does not atone for our
sin, there is nowhere else to look – there is no other Savior. The joy lost
through sin can be restored only by a broken spirit, “The sacrifices of God are
a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart -- These, O God, You will not
despise” Ps 51:17.
One thing all returning backsliders have in common
is brokenness. Personally, I have never experienced such a level of brokenness
as I did the night I finally yielded to the pressure of the Holy Spirit in my
soul. Consider the prodigal son; he was not simply hungry he was dying of
starvation. It was not until this point in his experience that he considered
returning to the home of his father.
The Hebrew word translated “broken” is ‘shabar’, and
means burst, break, crush, destroy and hurt. David is not speaking of a shallow
sentiment of expressing sorrow, but of a heartfelt act of contrition and
repentance. “My sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and a contrite heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and
thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise” (Amplified Bible).
Sin is a serious issue – it interferes with
our relationship with God. When God rejected Cain’s offering he was hurt and
angry, and He warned him, “Sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you,
but you must master it” (Amplified Bible). We can never consider sin to be a
conquered foe that will leave us alone because we belong to God – it is always
crouching, like a lion, at the other side of the door, waiting to pounce on
both the wary and unwary Believer. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and
knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I
will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me”
“Therefore do not let sin reign in your
mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your
members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God
as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness
to God” Rom 6:12-13.
May the cry of our heart always be, “Create
in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” Ps 51:10.