July 18, 2018

I AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE:

TO SHOW MERCY WHEN I AM WEAK

Psalm 6: 2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak:….

There, he said it. It takes a lot for a man to admit that he is weak. It takes a lot for anyone to admit that. I think what I appreciate the most about this admission is what has been omitted. There are really not any excuses given after this. There are no self obsessed justifications made to try to excuse away all responsibility. He just comes out and tells the truth. God, I am weak. There is no blaming his upbringing, no accusing people who have treated him badly, and no complaining that God just put too much on David. There is apparently enough water under the bridge, enough sleepless nights, enough turmoil in his thoughts, and enough failures that all the self sufficiency is gone. It is just David, God, and the truth. I am weak.

God already knows that, by the way. He is already well aware of our weakness. We are just not well aware of His strength. If you and I could just finally get to this point in our own lives. If we could just admit that we are weak. In our own strength, we are too weak to face the temptations that come our way. Satan has too many tricks, and a far superior ability. He knows our weak spots and our tendencies. On the other hand, there is good news. God has the same information. God knows our weaknesses, strengths, tendencies, quirks, and peculiarities. The Bible says that God knows our “frame”.

* Psalm 103:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

God knows how we are put together. David does something interesting here. Instead of saying God help me I’m weak, or God do something for me because I am weak, David says “Have mercy upon me”. David here is saying to God that David has messed up, he’s blown it, he’s failed. In David’s weakness, David had made some wrong choices, failed in some areas, and messed up. David didn’t blame anybody for his failure. He just asked for God‘s mercy.

Here’s the point. We are weak, we are frail, and we do mess up. instead of excusing it, blaming someone else, or failing to take responsibility, we need to just come to God in humility and admit that we are weak. We just need to come to God and ask for mercy. I encourage you today to admit to yourself and to the Lord that you are weak. I encourage you not to go throughout the day on your own strength. You will fail. I encourage you to admit that you are weak, and ask that God shows mercy inspite of our failures, and provide strength for us to serve Him better. Good news:

* Psalm 86: 15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. 16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant,