Grace Defined

King David was called the man after God's own heart. He is supposed to be the guy we try and be like. But really, do you realize what this guy did? In 2 Samuel 11, it tells us plenty of huge mistakes he made. David messed up in the absolute worst kinds of ways imaginable to the human mind. He stole someone's wife and impregnated her, tried to trick and lie to this man, and eventually had the man killed. Not only did he have Uriah killed, but he had Uriah deliver a message with his own death sentence to David's army commander, Joab. I mean, seriously, how low can you go? His decisions hurt (and even killed) so many people. It's always kind of comical to me, for some reason, that after this whole story is told....it ends rather crassly and abruptly with the piercing words "But the thing David had done displeased the LORD." No kidding.

How is this ok? How is David someone I should strive to be like? Well, there's more to the story. Just recently, I discovered Psalm 51, which is David's response to being confronted about the whole situation by the prophet Nathan. In it's entirety (because it's that good), here it is:

Psa 51:1 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving-kindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
Psa 51:2 Wash me completely from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Psa 51:3 For I confess my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me.
Psa 51:4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done evil in Your sight; that You might be justified when You speak, and be clear when You judge.
Psa 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Psa 51:6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part You shall make me to know wisdom.
Psa 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psa 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which You have broken may rejoice.
Psa 51:9 Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
Psa 51:12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Psa 51:13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways; and sinners shall be converted to You.
Psa 51:14 Deliver me from the guilt of shedding blood, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
Psa 51:15 O Jehovah, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
Psa 51:16 For You do not desire sacrifice; or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
Psa 51:18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem.
Psa 51:19 Then shall You be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.

Sometimes in life we make mistakes. Sometimes we make big mistakes. It's inevitable. David made some big mistakes. But what really makes David a man after God's own heart is how he dealt with his mistakes. Psalm 51 reveals his heart when he finally realizes the things he had done. He is torn. He is distraught and crushed. He is grieved at the things he had done. He acknowledges his mistakes. He doesn't run from them or make excuses. Instead, he mans up to them and begs mercy from God. As he realizes the repercussions of his mistakes and his sinfulness, he can't help but see the mercy of God.

But you see, what makes David even more special is that he also understands the Grace of God. If God had only given David mercy, that, in and of itself, would have been incredible. If David did not receive punishment for his crimes....murder, adultery, and so the list goes on....that would have been an astounding thing for God to do. And it was an incredible thing which God did in fact do. But David goes further. He asks not only for mercy, but for Grace as well. He asks for it in verse 8 when He asks God to make him hear Joy and Gladness. He asks for it in verse 10 when he asks God to create in him a clean heart. He asks for it in verse 12 when he asks God to restore the joy of his salvation. Mercy is an incredible thing. But even mercy cannot save us. For Paul himself writes that it is by Grace, through faith, that we are saved. If mercy is God not giving us the punishment that we deserve...then Grace is God rewarding us with what we do not deserve. Mercy is looking past David's sins and not destroying him. Grace is forgiving him and restoring his joy and salvation and upholding his place with God for eternity in heaven. Think about it. If that's not incredible, I don't know what is.

I think if we are all honest with ourselves, there are things in all of our lives that should lead us to have this prayer in Psalm 51 with God. The fact of the matter is this: the sin we commit, no matter how big or small, is enough to separate us from God simply because of how good He is. The Lord knows, and you probably do to, that I've made plenty of big mistakes in my life, even recently. But this is inevitable, really. And it is here, in our mistakes, in our sinfulness, where our greatest opportunity of power and salvation arises. In our weakness, God's power is made perfect and complete. When we come to the point where we can pray Psalm 51 in truthfulness and honesty to God, we come to the point where we are dependent on God, and not ourselves. It is then that God can really have his way in our lives. It is then, I believe, when we will start seeing God begin to do truly incredible things through us. It is then, when we will begin to see the full and awesome power of God in our lives.

Grace and Peace to you.