GRACE UNENDING

THIS IS TABLE ROCK FELLOWSHIP PASTOR RANDY MCCORD

Grace Unending

Psalm 51 may well be one of the most encouraging texts in the entire bible.

This particular chapter was written by King David, a man who wanted to follow after God – and who had done so through many years of extreme trial, likely just as you have done.

This faithful man – whom God had tested with many trials, who was stalwart and stellar in his exemplary example to us of how to trust God implicitly in every conceivable difficulty – had persevered, and finally come to a time in life where everything was going quite well! And perhaps you have done the same.

But then, when everything was going very well for David, he decided to take a “vacation” from his righteousness, and embark on a period of self-indulgence and stunning immorality that included the use of his royal position – which was his only by the gift of God – to seduce and indulge himself sexually with a married woman, Bathsheba. And then, to compound this travesty, he orchestrated the murder of her husband, Uriah, to keep the affair a secret. All the while Uriah had done nothing but prove himself to be an exemplary man of fidelity, honor, integrity, with particular devotion toward King David himself–!

You no doubt know the story well, and yet the familiarity of it never dulls the extreme vileness of David’s actions. And that is why this story is so impactful to every believer, because we all have been David in this way. Maybe we didn’t commit adultery and cover it up with murder, but we have all emulated his self-centered, godless decisions, to ignore the will and word of our God and Savior, and indulged ourselves in any number of selfish and sinful acts, decisions, and pursuits, only to turn around in the light of day and hide them with such skill and effort, so that we can maintain our “righteous persona” before our church friends.

However, like David, we have been – or will most certainly be – found out. And only then will it likely strike us just how far we have ventured into our self-indulgent and inexcusable affront to God, and just how much carnage we have wrought on his beloved children, and ourselves…

At those times, we, like David, are faced with the stark reality of how far we have ventured from God – and all that that separation truly means for us, in regard to our eternal future, and our relationship with the only Being in life who truly has done everything possible, and conceivable, for our eternal good.

At such an awful moment of epiphany – when we realize we have scorned and shunned everything that truly matters in life, how should we respond? Truly, just like David, such grievous errors are beyond our capacity for correction or amends. David could not bring Uriah back from the dead, or restore Bathsheba’s marriage and home. Some things in life, once destroyed, cannot be replaced. So, what to do when we are the destroyer?

We can give into despair, and the accusations of Satan, and doom ourselves to a life of misery and depression. Or, we can follow David’s example, laid out clearly in Psalm 51, and approach our God with heartfelt apology and repentance. It’s very likely that this Psalm exists solely to show us, and remind us, of the nature of God; and the true, inconceivable power and extent of the grace of Jesus:
 

Nothing you can do can defeat that grace,
nor close the open arms of Christ.

In your final moments of reflection today, read the selected verses below, and note the bolded reminders of the incredible nature of God and his attitude toward us, even in our darkest hour:

 

“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.

Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.

Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.“

Psalm 51 NLT

OUR MISSION AS A CHURCH

“TO ENCOURAGE AND EQUIP EACH OTHER IN LOVE TO KNOW JESUS AND MAKE HIM KNOWN”

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Medford, Oregon 97501

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