The Presence: 21 Day Devotional: Day 8

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Psalm 51:10-11  NIV

Psalm 51:7-12 NIV

The other day we lost power in our home. Suddenly, the television, Internet, and even my electric guitar weren’t options. My world felt very small. I was disconnected from power. I take electricity for granted.  We may do the same with the presence of the Holy Spirit, taking His presence for granted until we feel disconnected. David had sinned horribly, committing adultery with Bathsheba and ordering her husband’s death. The man who wrote Psalms full of deep connection with God had failed, building a wall of separation between him and God’s presence. For months David remained blocked from God’s fullness until this prayer of repentance flowed from the depths of his soul. It’s clear that he had indeed felt a lack of the Spirit’s presence because of his plea “Do not cast me away from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” No doubt, through his
contrition, the electric presence of the Spirit flowed again empowering his life. Let’s stay sensitive to the flow of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives by discerning the things that we do to build walls between us and God. Let’s live lives of repentance, humility, and holiness. In the spirit of David’s prayer in v.12, let the joy of the presence of the Lord sustain you at all times.