photo #7969407

9. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.10. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.11. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Psalm 51:9-12. The psalmist from the agony of sin seeks restoration from a broken and contrite heart. Restoration comes from confession. Christ has paid the debt of sin being death. God dealt with sin by putting it all on Christ. Spurgeon said the Lord knows very well that you cannot change your own heart and cleanse your own nature. But He also knows He can do both. We are sinners, and only God can remove the stain and punishment. It is through Jesus Christ that we find this grace, this mercy. Christ is the door to heaven. There is no other. Only the redeemed know a restored relationship with God. Restore is to reinstate, return to a former condition, or bring back something stolen to the original owner. Sin has stolen our peace with God, soiled the heart, separated us from God. Taken away our salvation and joy. God does not destroy us in our sins. He pursues us because of His love. There is nothing in this world worth trading Christ's eternal life for. Christ came as one of us. You can not say He doesn't know what we are feeling. He knows more of suffering, lack, betrayal, loneliness, than we ever will. Christ went through it all so we could be with Him. All who have experienced His love know His word is true. Christ came to save sinners, and I can say that Christ saved me from sin and death. Amen.