The Repentance of a True Saint

Bible Reading: Psalm 51

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation.” (Psalm 51:10-12)

In times when our faith wavers, and we stray away from God, turn to Him in humble repentance. When things are not going well in our faith, it is easy just to shake it off and say that our faith and relationship with God will soon return to normal. However, that is not the attitude of repentance. 

Repentance requires humility to place ourselves down before God. It requires faith to cling on to His promises of forgiveness. This is what David did. 

David had committed great crimes. He had murdered a man, taken his wife and committed adultery. Above all, he was the king of Israel. Repentance and acknowledging his sin would have been a very hard task because it would destroy his reputation. 

Yet David turned to God and asked Him for forgiveness and restoration. David prays, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (Psalm 51:4). No matter how sinful we think we are, no matter how bad our relationship with God has become, turn to Him in humble repentance. Turn from your old ways and cry out to God to forgive you and restore You. 

We can turn to God because we can trust in His promises. In v. 17, David clings to one of God’s promises. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise”. God’s promises of forgiveness for the humble are plentiful in the scriptures. 

Isaiah 55:6-7 says, “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon”.

1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

There are countless more promises in the Bible. Wherever we are in our walk of faith, let us turn to God with a humble heart of repentance daily, and let us watch in wonder at God’s loving faithfulness. 

Let’s pray the lyrics of the beloved hymn, Pass me not, O gentle Saviour by Fanny Crosby:

Pass me not, O gentle Savior,

  Hear my humble cry;

While on others Thou art calling,

  Do not pass me by.

Savior, Savior,

  Hear my humble cry;

While on others Thou art calling,

    Do not pass me by.

Let me at Thy throne of mercy

  Find a sweet relief;

Kneeling there in deep contrition,

  Help my unbelief.

Trusting only in Thy merit,

  Would I seek Thy face;

Heal my wounded, broken spirit,

  Save me by Thy grace.

Thou the spring of all my comfort,

  More than life to me;

Whom have I on earth beside Thee?

  Whom in heaven but Thee?