David’s Remorse Was As Great As Was His Guilt

I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite. Isaiah 57:15, NRSV.
Sinners seldom feel right in regard to reproof…. How little sympathy they feel for the one who has carried the heavy load the Lord has laid upon him! They assume the role of a martyr and think they deserve great pity, because they are reproved and counseled contrary to their own ideas and feelings. They may admit some things, but with dogged persistency they hold fast to their errors, their own ideas. “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” To all intents and purposes the Word of God is rejected….
How different was the character of David! Though he had sinned, when God sent him sharp rebukes he always bowed under the chastisement of the Lord. David was beloved of God, not because he was a perfect man, but because he did not cherish stubborn resistance to God’s expressed will. His spirit did not rise up in rebellion against reproof….
David erred greatly, but he was just as greatly humbled and his contrition was as profound as his guilt. There was never a person more humble than David under a sense of his sin. He showed himself a strong man, not in always resisting temptation, but in the contrition of soul and sincere penitence manifested. He never lost his confidence in God, who put the stern rebuke in the mouth of His prophet. He had no hatred for the prophet of God. He was beloved, also, because he relied upon the mercy of a God whom he had loved and served and honored.
To whom much is forgiven, the same loveth much. David did not take counsel of associates who were sinning against God. This is where many fail. They are left in midnight darkness because they choose to counsel with those who walk not in the counsel of the Lord. They will excuse sin in the sinner when it is not repented of, and pass over wrongs when God has not forgiven them. David trusted in God more than in humans. The decision of God was accepted as just and merciful. Oh, how many are walking in blindness and leading others in the same path, where both must perish because they will not heed the reproofs of the Spirit of God!—Manuscript 1a, 1890.
Christ Triumphant p. 149
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for the Steve Wohlberg meetings that we are having this weekend. Rose
—-Please pray for my Sister in Christ Yvonne as she is going through some serious medical issues! Sandra
—-Please pray for Daniel that the Holy Spirit will guide him. Danita
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Dear Friends,
Names. How careful we must be when we name our helpless babe. A name can make or break the person. Sometimes what sounds so cute when they are a newborn can become a great embarrassment when they are school age. The teasing and tormenting they must endure because of their name has even turned some to a life of crime. All that pent up anger has to come out sometime, some way.
In the Bible, babies were of named according to something that happened surrounding their birth. Seeing what the various Biblical names mean makes for interesting study. For example, Isaac was named “he laughs” because Abraham and Sarah laughed when God told Abraham that she was going to have a baby. (Gen 17:17; 18:12) Esau was named “hairy” because he was covered with red hair. Jacob’s name meant “heel holder” or “supplanter” because he took hold of Esau’s heel during the birthing process. (Gen 25:25, 26)
The name of Jesus, how precious it is! His name tells Who He is: the Saviour! The angel commanded Joseph, “thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matt 1:23 Truly He is the “Wonderful Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isa 9:6
Through the name of Jesus, His followers taught the people the way to eternal life, had power to heal the sick, cast out demons, even raised the dead. (Matt 10:8) Looking at the future reward of God’s people, John tells us, “And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.” Rev 22:4 Will we have a visible mark tattooed across our forehead that says “Jesus”? No! His name is His character, His glory. When Moses asked to see God’s glory, he was told, “I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee.” As Moses was in the cleft of the rock, “the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.”
When our Great Creator gave us the Ten Commandments, which are a transcript of His Character and a rule for our happiness, He proclaimed, “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Ex 20:7 This commandment encompasses more than common swearing, for that sin can be forgiven. When we take on the name of Christ, we are to become like Him in character. Paul tells us, “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Tim 2:19 When we fail to do so, over and over again, we become hardened in our sin, “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” to gain the victory. 2 Tim 3:5 Eventually, we get discouraged and turn away from our Only Hope, our Only Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Fearful position—a position that we need not be in, for our Great Redeemer has provided us with all that we need to be saved, even giving His Most Precious Gift, His Only Begotten Son. (John 3:16)
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil 2:5-13 “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.” Jude 24, 25
Rose