~Thankful Thursday~

Psalm 51

For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
because of Your unfailing love.
Because of Your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.

2 Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.

3 For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.

4 Against You, and You alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in Your sight.
You will be proved right in what You say,
and Your judgment against me is just.

5 For I was born a sinner
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

6 But You desire honesty from the womb,
teaching me wisdom even there.

7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 Oh, give me back my joy again;
You have broken me
now let me rejoice.

9 Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.

11 Do not banish me from Your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
and make me willing to obey You.

13 Then I will teach Your ways to rebels,
and they will return to You.

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

15 Unseal my lips, O Lord,
that my mouth may praise You.

16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.

17 The sacrifice You desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

I chose to focus on FREEDOM in CHRIST on this "Thankful Thursday." FREEDOM from all the LISTS that man has set before us. There was a time that GOD called for sacrifice of animals (to cover our sins). There was no "magic" of course in the animal... GOD wanted us to realize that without the shedding of blood, there is NO forgiveness of sin. (Hebrews 9:22 - In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness)



Of course we're not "under the law" anymore. Because of what Christ did for us, we're now under GRACE. I'm ESPECIALLY thankful that there are no ordinances for us to keep, no sacrifices to bear, and no status to be attained in order to achieve Salvation. All that GOD asks of us is a broken spirit and repentant heart. (After of course, believing in and accepting JESUS as LORD of our lives) People can become prideful in their "religious status." GOD did NOT set that standard for us.. MAN did! HE simply wants us to LOVE HIM with all our hearts, our souls and our minds. I'm thankful that we depend on JESUS to get us into HEAVEN and NOT on rules made by man.


Isaiah 29:13 (New International Version)

13 The Lord says:
"These people come near to Me with their mouth
and honor Me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from Me.
Their worship of Me
is made up only of rules taught by Men.




If you'd like to read more posts on this Thankful Thursday check in with Iris at Sting My Heart