Dave's Diary

Daily Reading: Isaiah 58 and Psalm 51

Today is Ash Wednesday, and around the world millions of Christians will have the sign of the cross applied to their foreheads in ash. Sadly, for some this will be no more than an empty religious ritual. For them it will make no real difference whatsoever. For others, this outward sign will match the inward state of their heart, because they will truly have repented of their sins, returned to Christ for forgiveness and salvation, and made a deeply heartfelt commitment to seek the Lord with every fibre of their being. For them, this day could very well mark the first day of the rest of their lives.

Psalm 51 marked just such a watershed day for King David. Although he lived before Christ and therefore did not have the privilege of the absolute assurance of forgiveness which faith in Christ gives, he came to God with “a broken and contrite heart” (v.17). David made no excuses whatsoever for his dreadful sins of adultery and murder, instead freely acknowledging, “I have sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.” (v.4)

In this state of honest brokenness over his sins, he pleaded for forgiveness of his past evil, based on the fact that God is filled with “mercy”, “unfailing love” and “great compassion” (v.1). He uttered an absolutely heartfelt cry for his “transgressions” and “iniquities” to be “blotted out”, his “iniquities” to be “washed away” and his life to be “cleansed of sin”.

He also pleaded for a complete transformation of his inner self, asking God to create in him a clean heart, to renew a steadfast spirit within him, and to graciously remain near to him by the Holy Spirit. If God would do this for him, he believed with all his heart that this would restore the joy of his salvation to him. (v.10-12)

David models for us the true spirit of Ash Wednesday. He models the state of heart and mind with which we are to come to the Lord. Today, trusting in the all-sufficient grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us come to Him in complete transparency and sincerity of heart, complete honesty about any and every form of rebellion in our lives, and the honest desire to be set free from our past guilt and transformed into His image by the Holy Spirit. And may the ashen sign of the cross be a beautiful reminder to us of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that has borne our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.

Amen!