It has all the elements of a top-rated soap opera: an extramarital affair, unplanned pregnancy, murder, remarriage. But this story doesn’t come from prime time television. This is the story of King David.
For months David lived with the secret of his affair with Bathsheba…months that cost him physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Unable to eat or keep food down, his body wasted away. Guilt can do that—it can steal the appetite or stir up the stomach. It left David with no energy. Keeping his secret took everything he had. Secrets require vigilance against betrayers. Trusting no one, suspicion drained David like the heaviness of summer heat.
But when confronted, David’s eyes opened. He recognized the affair as sin. David saw clearly that he had sinned against God. Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight -- Psalm 51:4. The affair affected many people—many had been hurt, some even died—but David’s sin was against God’s commands for holy living.
David mourned his transgressions. He was never away from them. He recognized the distance between him and God. He begged: Wash me, cleanse me, purify me, blot out my transgressions.
Then he asked for the one thing sorely missing in his life—joy. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation—Psalm 51:12. Until sin was made apparent, David hadn’t even realized the joy was AWOL.
Isn’t that the way it goes? There’s no joy in keeping a secret. We fear what could happen if it came out…we’d be ruined, abandoned, shamed. Yet living with the secret, protecting it, ever suspicious, watching our backs…there’s no joy or satisfaction in that kind of living.
With confession came forgiveness. And David rejoiced. He declared, Open my lips that my mouth may declare your praise. Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness (verses 14, 15). This was no time to be silent. It was time to speak up with praise and joyful singing. It was time to tell of the good things of God. It was time to share what God had done: David had been delivered, washed clean, the sin erased. He was able to start anew.
Oh, the world needed to know. And so David promised, God, when they hear my story, they’ll know just how awesome you are.
When Mary and the other women went to the tomb that Sunday morning, they found…joy. They had lived through three days of unbelievable sorrow. They had seen their beloved Jesus nailed to a cross, suffocating as His lungs collapsed. The women looked up at the cross and their eyes were opened. Jesus became sin—their sin.
The next day, they mourned. They cried out to God. They begged for another chance, a do-over. To be restored to Jesus. To be clean and renewed, ready to give it another try, a better try.
And on Sunday, they found the empty tomb. Jesus’ body was gone. They were confused…till the angel let them know that Jesus was not in the grave. Tombs are for dead people and Jesus was alive.
Jesus was alive.
The women ran to tell the others—JESUS IS ALIVE.
Do you think they had joy?
We are nearly to the end of the time of self-denial called Lent. This season culminates with the events remembered this weekend. Today, we recall Jesus on that cross…high and lifted up…He who had no sin made to be sin for us. Tomorrow is a day of reflecting, crying out, asking for God’s mercy.
And Sunday is our day of joy restored.
What do you do when you have joy restored?
You share the Good News. Let others know the marvelous things that God has done. Open your lips. Let your tongue joyfully sing. Open your mouths to declare your praise. JESUS IS ALIVE.
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