“Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me” (Ps 51:11).
When David uttered this desperate heart-cry, he still reigned in the palace as Israel’s king. His royal honour, title and authority were intact. However he sensed that he’d lost something no political power could substitute. No ritual could replace what he’d lost in a moment of weakness. On the other hand, David’s moral lapse may have been the result rather than the cause of his departure from the presence. He probably suddenly realised that his distance from God caused his audacious series of steps to covet another man’s wife, arrange the hubby’s elimination and proceed to enjoy life as if nothing had happened. His confrontation by Prophet Nathan must have shocked him into realising how callous he’d become. He probably wondered why the Holy Spirit had not warned him about his errant ways. Beloved, we too must cherish the presence of God by His Spirit in our lives to such an extent that as soon as distancing begins, we sense it and nip it in the bud. We must not be comfortable walking with Jesus from a distance. We must value a continual sense of the divine presence in our lives. We mustn’t take the matter of abiding in His presence for granted. Nor should we take the Spirit’s presence in us for granted. The consequences can be dire!
Pastor Josh