The young David’s journey from shepherd boy to king was mightily blessed. We can learn many lessons from David’s life and identify, maybe with different circumstances, with his failure and fall from grace. Scripture warns us: “Let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall”, 1 Corinthians 10:12. The hour of great blessing can become great danger when we trespass on God’s grace and wander from the path of humility.
It was a different David that carried out the most despicable crime, (2 Samuel 11 & 12), and tried to cover it with a deceitful heart. He was brought to a place of conviction of his sin against a faithful man who was serving him. Psalm 51 portrays the agony of David’s sin and guilt against God and man, as he pours his heart out in repentance. Scripture declares of David that he was a man after God’s own heart, but it was not after God’s heart when he lusted after Bathsheba. When David humbled himself and repented, God created a clean heart to continue serving the Lord. David discovered the consequences of his sin and had to live with them, but he learned the lesson of his vulnerability when he took a wrong path independently. God’s grace and forgiveness is available for our failure when we humble ourselves and walk in humility, but there is no grace for our pride. God resists the proud, (1 Peter 5:5). God is taking us all on the journey to discover that of ourselves, we can do nothing, just as Jesus Himself declared “of Himself, He could do nothing. It was the Father IN Him, doing the works through Him”. He had surrendered His will in exchange for the Father’s. Our part is to humbly surrender our will in daily situations, that the life of Jesus may flow and operate through us…..Christ in us, the hope of glory.
Obedience is not something I gain through prayer, or otherwise, it comes by walking in humility. Psalm 51:6 declares God requires truth in the inward parts. Only as I humble before God will He then create that clean heart and a right spirit within me (v.10), which is our birthright in Christ and given us when we entered into salvation.
As we learn who we are in Christ, our continuing journey teaches us to understand the war between our old man of flesh, and our spirit man. Obedience brings revelation and enlightenment from the word of God. Romans 8: 1-2 teaches us we have daily choices to make. As we choose to humble ourselves before God and make right choices, the Holy Spirit immediately comes alongside of our choice and enables us, strengthens us to perform God’s will. Only as I choose to lay my will down in surrender, will the life of Christ flow through me without effort…….to God be the glory! God fills empty vessels, as I go out, He comes in!
John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease”
As I walk in the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, I continue to enjoy the benefits of the clean heart He has given me. My part is to humbly listen and obey the Holy Spirit’s promptings in order to walk right. It is not my job to put others right, that is the work of the Holy Spirit. A demonstration of a life lived in union with God’s heart, will speak louder than many words.
Consider the word progression. Progress, that is who the Lord is and is His signature upon our lives. The Lord’s foundations are more solid than rock, and will not be trifled with! As we look back and reflect on our journey, it is amazing to see how He has faithfully led us on progressively, for His glory. What He has begun, He will not forsake. He cannot deny His word. Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”.
This promise of our Father’s continuing PROGRESS with us should delight our heart, as it unites with His.