DC Devotion: Psalm 51

 BY SANIYAH FOINTNO, CURRENT STUDENT

Have you ever felt guilty and ashamed for the sin you committed? Or even the sin that you were born into? I know for a long time when I fell into sin I did not feel guilty about it. After I got saved and received the Holy Spirit inside of me, I began to recognize that I was not my own. I belonged to God and was bought with a price. This opened my eyes to see that I must repent for the sins that I had committed against God. It was, “I’m sorry God for sinning,” for a while, and then I would go back and sin again. I realized I could not live my life like that. It was like sacrificing an animal to God and saying, “Okay, now I am forgiven. I will bring another animal later.” God is rich in mercy and love but does not operate that way. Although during this time under the Old Covenant, animal sacrifices were offered as a way to cover sins, God still desired more from David. God wanted David to know that he did not need to hide behind animal sacrifices. God desires a broken heart that only he can make whole. It is only God who can wash away our sins and make us white as snow. So when David confessed his sin he was not only overwhelmed with shame and guilt but was overwhelmed with the love of God. Only God could look at him and be pleased he came to him with a broken and contrite heart. The question I must ask is, are you hiding behind worthless animal sacrifices? Or are you bringing your valuable broken and contrite heart before God? He is only truly pleased with one. So today, wherever you are, come before the God who loves and cares for you deeply. Bring him your heart that was his before the beginning of time so he can create in you a clean heart. A heart that is pleasing to him.

Anderson University is on a mission to educate students for lives of faith and service, offering more than 60 undergraduate majors, 30 three-year degrees, 20 NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports, alongside adult and graduate programs. The private, liberal arts institution is fully accredited and recognized among top colleges for its business, computer science, cybersecurity, dance, engineering, nursing, and teacher education programs. Anderson University was established in 1917 in Anderson, Indiana, by the Church of God.