Joy - Part 2

In regards to the joy of our salvation in Psalms 51, I note that the requests David makes of God that lead up to his petition for restoration of joy are promises the New Testament believer has in place.

Verse 1: "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions." Colossians 2:13-14 says, "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." Consider the transgressions blotted out!

David continues in verses 2 and 3: "Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me." 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Done deal.

David goes on to admit that his sin, though affecting many lives, was only against God and continues by acknowledging his sinful nature -- the same nature with which we are all born according to Romans 3:23.

So why do we still lack joy? David had to ask for the things we already have. Happy is our state! Indeed, I think we fail to grasp the significance of salvation, as I mentioned in part 1 of the joy blogs. However, I believe there are other contributing factors as well.... The next verse in Psalms 51 is one that I find very intriguing. Verse 6: "Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom." The Hebrew word translated "inward parts" is only used one other time in the Bible, and that is in Job 38:36 which says, "Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?" In the context, this is a rhetorical question asked by God himself.

The Hebrew word translated "hidden" means to stop up, shut up or keep close. Yes, we have places inside us that are stopped up -- blocked from anything going in or coming out. It reminds me of Job 41:15, speaking in reference to Leviathan, a picture of Satan, "His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. Relate this to Paul. By way of review, Paul was a religious zealot, doing those things he felt sure were pleasing God. At the time, those things happened to involve active persecution of early Christians. On his way to one such persecution session, God literally stopped him in his tracks and temporarily blinded him in order to get his attention and reveal Truth. When Paul finally received his sight again, Acts 9:18 describes it like this, "And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized." It seems that those hidden parts in which God desires to inject wisdom, are our "blind spots", the hard, prideful places that we manage to keep shut up. I think we are afraid to open these stopped up places -- far too uncomfortable! Face it, we all have them. If you're reading this and thinking of someone you know, may I encourage you to turn your eyes upward and ask God to reveal those very places within yourself!

The beautiful thing about the whole concept of the inward parts and hidden part is that God is the only one who can inject truth and wisdom into our innermost being. Sure, we can acquire knowledge. Lots of people do. We can even have an emotional response to that knowledge. Lots of us do that as well. But, how often does that knowledge and/or emotional response translate into true change? I submit to you, never! Without an injection of truth into our hidden parts, we remain unchanged. Therefore, Christians are often some of the most miserable people you will meet. Sad isn't it? We have this knowledge and these experiences that really don't translate into real life. The resultant misery manifests in our lack of joy and sometimes downright meanness. Sadly, some of the meanest people I have known claim the title "Christian". So what now? What do we do? We pray. We pray and ask God to break up those scales and open up those hidden parts. We ask him to do the impossible -- the thing that no man can do. We pray for soft hearts and ask God to change us. He wants to do that. Psalms 51 says that it is his desire!

For the one who cries this prayer to God, the stopped up places will be unplugged, and "out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38). We become free, and the joy of our salvation is restored. Then will we "teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee".

Isaiah 12:3 "Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." So, why don't we? Just do it!