How do we truly repent so that we are fully restored? At first glance, that is a short, to-the-point question. If you slow down and reread it, you will see its true depth.

During the Lenten season, I find myself seeking and discovering scripture beyond the typical New Testament direct verses. I find myself flipping to the Old Testament and sitting in the stories leading to our Savior, Jesus Christ. In Psalm 51, David gives us a deep, soul-searching look at what it means to repent. David wrote this after committing adultery with Bathsheba, remorsefully knowing he had sinned and needed God to purify him. 

David starts with the recognition of his sin and the need for God’s mercy. David knows of God’s compassion and asks God to wipe away his sins and to ‘wash (him) clean from (his) guilt.’ David goes on to confess his sins and understands that he has sinned directly against God. He asks God to ‘purify (him) from (his) sins’ so that he may be ‘whiter than snow.’ (Psalm 51: 1-7).

As if that were not powerful in itself, verses 10 & 11 hit me hard today. ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.’ David knew the only way to repent and be fully restored was with and through God. 

We cannot restore or reset ourselves. We are not perfect. We never will be. We will sin again and again because we are human. We are called to repent from our sins. We repent by going to our Father, God, and surrendering that sin to Him by telling Him we cannot do it without Him. We have to continually repent and turn to God, as David showed us in this Psalm. 

‘The sacrifice (God) desire(s) is a broken spirit. (Psalm 51:17). I think David was telling us it is our heart behind our repentance that truly matters. Are we confessing and turning from our sins to simply go through the motions or to avoid eternal punishment? Are our hearts truly being transformed through our repentance? Are our hearts seeking to become closer to God through our confessions? These are questions that I will continue to struggle with myself, but the Good News (pun intended) is that because of Jesus Christ, I am not alone in that struggle, because Jesus has made the ultimate, loving sacrifice for me by dying for my sins so that I am covered by His blood. Friend, Jesus has done all of this for you, too. All you have to do is accept Jesus into your heart as He has you firmly in His heart. 

With faith,
Melanie Drews
Paws on God’s Path