Failure is a Comma Not a Period

Monday, June 24th, 2019

God Forgives. He will cleanse you from all unrighteousness. He will renew in you what you can be.
Wayne Hilsden

TRANSCRIPTION

Shalom, I’m Wayne Hilsden and welcome to God Today.  I’ve been serving in Israel for 34 years and what a privilege that’s been. I want to share a thought with you today.  Let failure be a comma, not a period. God is in the business of making comebacks. I think of King David. What an amazing man he was.  Remember he was a shepherd and out there in the fields with the sheep he would write songs of worship to God. His heart was really after God.  In fact, the Bible tells us he had a heart after God.  And you know, David slewed Goliath, I mean that was amazing.  God used him in such a way that one day he would become king. He wasn’t king immediately He was anointed to be king in Hebron, but still Saul was in leadership at that time.  He waited really until it was God’s timing and he was patient.

 

David did something later, however, that was tragic.  You remember the story of him looking over at a rooftop and there was a beautiful lady named Bathsheba.  He saw her in her nakedness, he lusted after her, he committed adultery with her. To hide that sin he actually had her husband killed on the battlefield.  That was a huge failure. That could have been the end of David. He deserved to be removed as king and the anointed one of Israel. But God loves to save, He loves to restore.   For those who are repentant, who confess their sins. In fact, 1 John says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

 

He gave David another chance.  David became a great king. In fact, even Jesus, when He came as the Messiah was known as the “Son of David”.  He came from the same tribe, the same family as David. To think that God would even identify Himself and His son identifying with David – the one who failed in such a huge way!  Don’t let failure in your life be a period. Make it a comma. In other words, you have to pause. You have to say, “God, forgive me,” with the sincerity of your heart.

 

If you will pray this prayer like David prayed, God will forgive you.  He will give you another chance. You can get back up on your feet and serve God.   Let me just read some of David’s prayer. He said in verse 7 of Psalm 51, “Purify me with hyssop and I will be clean.  Wash me and I will be whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart, oh God. Renew a right spirit within me. Don’t throw me from your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of my salvation.” And later he says, “A broken and a contrite heart, oh God, you will not despise.”

 

It doesn’t matter how awful your sin has been, how you’ve rebelled against Him, or violated a trust with another person, or committed adultery, committed murder.  You might be in prison today watching this. I can tell you this: God forgives. He will cleanse you from all unrighteousness. He will renew in you what you can be.  You can make a big comeback today if you’ll do that.

 

Let’s pray together.  Father, thank you that you love sinners.  Thank you that you’ve saved me and many times, Lord, as I’ve sinned.  And I’ve turned my heart toward you. I’ve sensed that cleansing, washing, and renewing of my spirit, knowing that you’re a loving, forgiving, and a merciful God.  I pray for all those watching right now and hearing these words, that fall will not be a period in their life. But, they’re standing up again will be a comma in their life.  Yes, a pause, but a pause to get strengthened and renewed to go forward. Bless them today and use them in a powerful way. In Jesus’ name.