Psalm 51:10-12
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me by your generous Spirit.
One of the things that happens when we allow and excuse sin in our lives as believers is that we lose the joy of salvation. Sin comes with filth and our hearts become defiled. The Bible tells us to guard our hearts with all diligence because from it flows the issues of life. One of the deceptions of this generation is the push for people to follow their hearts. Take note of what the Bible says;
Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.
David followed his heart and at the moment it seemed like a pretty good thing to do but it got him into trouble. His heart was defiled and in Psalm 51 we see him crying out to God to create in him a clean heart after he acknowledges his sin. David’s desire is that God would renew a steadfast spirit within him. This is a spirit that is in right standing with God, one that is ready and willing to walk in obedience. He pleads for God not to cast him away from His presence, and not to take His Holy Spirit from him because when we allow sin to dwell in us then it creates a separation from God.
That statement reminds me of the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned, they were banished from the garden, the place where they met and walked with God. In essence they were cast away from His presence and the Holy Spirit was taken away from them.
The good news is that we serve a merciful God and he is willing and able to restore us if we repent.
David says restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. This tells us that when we gain salvation, Joy is part of the package. Joy because we have been translated from death to life, from darkness to light! What could be greater than that? The Bible says that the Joy of the Lord is my strength. Is it not a wonder then that when we lose the joy of the Lord we start complaining and we become weak?
Romans 15:13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
One of the things I have realized in my own life is that when I lose the joy of my salvation then most likely I have sin issues in my life I have not dealt with. My heart has been defiled! The reason for this is that this Joy is not dependent on the issues happening on the outside, but on the things I have accommodated on the inside.
May God uphold you and I by His generous Spirit.
Reflections
What are some of the things that you keep allowing access to your heart and you end up defiled?
The Holy Spirit is our Advocate, our helper the one who strengthens and reminds us the word. Imagine trying to live a Christian life without his help, how would that be?
Do you have the joy of salvation, the joy of the Lord? How has this affected your life?
