I Can't Be Perfect But I Can Be Faithful

David, a man after God's own heart....yet a king who committed adultery and murder. Sometimes I think, how can a King, an individual with such authority commit not just one but two evil deeds. David saw a married woman bathing and because of his lustful desires decided to have her for his own.....then, in order to cover up he placed her husband (a military man) in the frontline at battle, assuring his death. David consciously committing such great wrongs...how can anyone, especially a man of his stature be considered a man after God's own heart....?

But am I so different......

I may have not committed murder but how deadly have my words been and how many women have I lusted over and inappropriately pursued? My relationships are broken and my speech is impaired...How can I talk about David when my life cliff falls into the same abyss?

Well as my good friend Micah Bournes pointed out, Proverbs 24:16 says "For the righteous falls seven times and rises again." 

Am I considered righteous because I can live "right".....because I never make a mistake? If I do wrong am I considered unrighteous? If so, then how can this Proverb say that the righteous fall 7 times....

the righteous fall....

the righteous fall....

the righteous fall....

the righteous fall....

the righteous fall....

the righteous fall....

the righteous fall....

                             ...........and rises again. 

How can one be considered righteous when one falls so many times? 

Well like David, my standing is not determined by whether I do good or bad, it is determined by what God has done in my life. God has reached out and accepted me as his child, therefore declaring me righteous. There is no wrong I can do to remove myself from his love, nor is there any right I can do to make him love me more. God is love. It is not what he does, it is who he is and because of that I am considered righteous. 

With a shameful yet repenting heart, I do not take away from my actions. I take full responsibility for my actions, but I thank God for his forgiving grace. I rejoice knowing he wipes my slate clean...making it white as snow. I am not deserving of this I know, fortunately that is the definition of His grace. 

May my prayer be like David's

Psalm 51