May 6, 2009 A Humble Heart
Today’s Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 11–12; Psalm 51; Matthew 23
Scripture Focus:
2 Samuel 13:13 So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.
Matthew 23:25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.
Observation:
I see such a contrast between the story of David and Bathsheba and David’s reaction to Nathan the prophet found in 2 Samuel 12 and the Pharisees Jesus encountered in Matthew 23.
David sinned. The Pharisees sinned. When the prophet confronted David with his sin, David reacted with humility and sorrow, realizing that he had not just sinned against Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, but against God. When Jesus confronted the Pharisees about their sin, they remained stubborn and proud and thought themselves to be righteous.
Application:
We all sin. That’s a given. But how we respond to the person or word of God that confronts us with our sin is very telling. It’s the difference between a true child of God and someone who’s just pretending.
Prayer:
Oh, God—may I be like David. Tender of heart. Open to your rebuke. Willing to humble myself before you in sorrow for my sin.
