“The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” - Psalm 34:18 (NIV)

If there is a daring character that had a lot of gumption few fit King David. Once he saw Goliath the Philistine giant who had thrown terror among the Israelis he had nothing but pour scorn. “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God” (1 Sam 17:26). When his eldest brother Eliab tried to slow him down he just shrugged, “Can’t I even speak?” (Verse 29). Then he went to fight the giant.

When the ark was brought to the City and he freely danced in his priestly garments only for his wife Micah, the daughter of King Saul, to rebuke him, David without missing a beat retorted back, “I was dancing before the Lord who chose me above your father and all his family” ( 2 Sam 6:21).

However, when the man who apparently feared no one, it was brought to his attention by Prophet Nathan that he had committed a great sin of having an innocent man Uriah the Hittite murdered so as to take his wife, we see a different David. “Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Sam 22:13).

Later David would pour out his heart in a moving Psalm 51: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love, according to your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. My sacrifice O God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, you O God will not despise ...”

King David shows us that whatever we might think of ourselves or our status once we slip and we recognize our sin we should never hesitate to drop on our knees with a broken heart. Then the Almighty God will lift us up.

Prayer for today: Lord God father of Abraham today I pray in the blessed name of Jesus to know that yours is the business of lifting up the broken hearted.