How Do You Receive Correction?

"And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man" - 2nd Samuel 12:17

David stopped listening to God or his conscience. He saw what he wanted and it ended with adultery and murder. Because he was king no one dared confront him - except Nathan, the prophet.

Though perhaps not with the same sin, we all have times of closing off our conscience and spiritual ears, requiring God to send someone like a Nathan.

God always does it - maybe by using a spouse, a friend, your pastor, even a Police officer - but how do we handle it?! By denial, anger, and self-righteousness -- or by soul searching, repentance, and kindness toward the messenger?

It doesn't have to end badly. King David penned his response in Psalm 51. He also named one of his children, Nathan, no doubt after the man whom God used to bring him back to life.

- fritz

Not Excused but Cleansed

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." - David (Psalm 51:7)

David sinned, a man died, and a woman lost her baby.

His request for forgiveness reflects something we sometimes forget - God doesn't offer excuse but cleansing.

"Hyssop" is a small bush with a very specific use in the David's day. It was used to sprinkle blood for cleansing. First used at the passover to put lamb's blood on the door post, it continued to be used for sprinkling blood on lepers, various instruments for God's service, and people - all with the idea of cleaning.

David wasn't asking to be excused for his actions but to be cleansed.

Jesus is our sacrifice. Like the passover lamb, his blood is figuratively sprinkled on our lives to save us from eternal death and to cleanse us from our sins.

God offers not to excuse but to cleanse.

- fritz