‘Purify my heart Lord.’

Brothers and Sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ,
My mother has said to me on more than one occasion,
‘Getting old is not for the fainthearted.’
During the week I took my grandsons to the beach.
While they were playing I thought of my Dad’s brother.
His wife has had to go into a nursing home because her health had deteriorated.
I gave him a phone call to find out how things are.
He said, ‘life is not so easy.’
What do you do when the trials and burdens of life threaten to overwhelm you, when life and people brings grief and pain?
My Uncle said that he has his bible next to his chair and when he is troubled and anxious, he will pick up his bible and turn to the Psalms. The Psalms are the songs and prayers of the saints of the Old Testament.
The New Testament saints continue to turn to them and find strength, renewed faith, courage and hope in the face of whatever adversities the Lord allows to come their way.

King Davids’ prayers resonate because they address the same issues that all people face when they put their trust in the living God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
As broken frail human beings living in a world where sins’ curse impacts so much of the creation, where can we find hope and strength when weary and burdened?
Jesus said, ‘Trust in God, trust also in me.’
We cannot under estimate the power of words.
How did God create the heavens and the earth and all that they contain?
He spoke the Word, “Let there be…”

Words are powerful! We use them to do good but we can also use them to destroy.
John’s gospel begins with, ‘In the beginning was the Word.’
With our mouth or words, we bless God and from the same mouth we can curse others. With our words we can speak to the Lord in reverent prayer.
“I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you.”
David describes the nature of prayer:
It is like incense rising up to heaven.
Like the evening sacrifice (pleasing to God)
Prayer is getting in touch with God Almighty.
Scripture says that David was a man after God’s own heart.
It does not say that he was perfect.
The only perfect person is Jesus.
Jesus did not sin.
David wanted to be seeking God with all his heart.
He wanted to honour God in all things.
He wanted the Lord to direct his words.
This is made plain as he makes this request of God:
Set a guard over my mouth.
What is the problem with words?
Once said you cannot take them back. Words are a bit like toothpaste in a tube. Or water out of the tap – ever tried to put water back into the tap?

‘A small rudder can turn a large ship and a small tongue of fire can set a forest on fire.’
Our words are so powerful. How can we control what we say? Only as we pray, ‘Purify my heart Lord!’
WE NEED GOD’S Help.
David recognises that he needs God’s help.
He goes on to talk to the Lord about the condition of his heart and requests that God also deal with his heart.
Jesus said, “It is from what is in the heart that the mouth speaks.”
“Let my heart not be drawn to what is evil, to take
part in wicked deeds with men who are evil-doers;
Let me not eat their delicacies.
In the end as David said in Ps. 51 – when we engage in
evil, we offend God; “Against you, you only have I
sinned and done what is evil in your sight.
We have heard the saying,
“It’s not rocket science.”
Well what David is talking about is not rocket science either.
It is really simple – He is asking the Lord to help Him to honour Him in what He says.
Our words are powerful.
In Romans we read, “It is with your mouth that
you profess your faith and are saved… the Lord of
all richly blesses all who call on Him, for everyone
who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved.”
This is where the idea of doing a public profession of faith comes from.
When we have come to know that Jesus is our Lord and Saviour we want to follow Him.

We declare our love for Christ and believe that He has forgiven us all our sins by dying on the cross in our place.

We declare our faith in the presence of the people of God as we meet in the Name of the one true living God. David is asking the Lord to help Him honour the Lord in what He does.
Talk the talk & walk the talk.
How does God help David & us?
“Let a righteous man strike me – it is a kindness.
Let him rebuke me – it is oil on my head.
My head will not refuse it!”
My friends, this is not an easy gig.
None of us like to hear that we have made a mistake or done something wrong.
The prayer for sanctification is answered through our willingness to enter into relationships with those who love God and us that much that they are willing to be honest with us. The nature of blind spots is seen in the life of David.
The prophet Nathan was sent to talk to David after he had Uriah – Bathsheba’s husband killed. Nathan shows David his sin with Bathsheba.
He repents, but the consequences still followed.
Who has shown you your sins and short-comings?
Do we invite others to hold us accountable for our words and deeds?
Who have you invited to help you guard your mouth?
Who are you willing to listen to for correction?
Whose advice will you listen to when it comes to the most important decisions you will make? Who held the key to king Solomon’s heart?
His wives.
They lead him astray from following God with all his heart.

The consequences were enormously tragic.
What is the solution?
God has provided the solution in satisfying His need for justice by sending His Son to be our righteousness, holiness and sanctification.
I trust Him so much that I do not doubt He will provide whatever I need for body and soul, and will turn to my good whatever adversity He sends me in this sad world.
He is able to do this because He is almighty God. He desires to do this because He is our faithful Father.
So as we seek after God, the psalmist teaches us to ask the Lord,

1. To set a guard before our lips.
2. To guard our hearts.
3. To help us choose the right friends.
   

What do you have if you take the R out of the word friend? – Fiend – the Thesuarus says the synonyms for this are Satan, Evil Spirit.
Lord lead us not into temptation and deliver us from the evil one.
“My eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord;
in you I take refuge – do not give me over to death.
Keep me safe from the traps set by evildoers, from the
snares they have laid for me.”
The book of Proverbs teaches us the way of wisdom.

Proverbs 14:15,16 – You can remember where to find
these powerful words if you can count 14,15,16.
“A simple man believes anything,
but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.
A wise man fears the Lord and shuns evil,
but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.”

We live in a world where we are tempted to go our own way and so go astray.
We need the Lord’s help to walk in His ways.
Pray, ‘Purify my heart Lord.’
May we walk by the Spirit of the living God and put to death evil deeds.
Let us reject evil thoughts.
May we be on our guard when our pride rises so that we become as it were brute beasts who are selfish and godless.
The devil is out to destroy relationships – our relationship with God.
He would have us accuse God of wrong-doing when the Lord allows trials and hardships to come our way.
He would have us harbour grudges when others would offend us.
Let us be quick to listen and slow to speak.
Let us be quick to call on our God for strength and wisdom.
Let us pray, ‘Purify my hear Lord, make me more like Jesus.’
Whatever our circumstance, whatever choice we make, let as ask, What would Jesus do, what would Jesus say, how would Jesus respond?
We sing, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”
Read the Scriptures and meditate on the Word of God daily.
May the Spirit of the Living God direct our thoughts and our words and our deeds so that we may live a life that is pleasing to God.

Amen.