Recovering an Awareness of God

READ:  2 Samuel 11-12; Psalm 51

Psa. 51:0   To the leader. 

A Psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him, 

after he had gone in to Bathsheba. 

Have mercy on me, O God, 

according to your steadfast love; 

according to your abundant mercy 

blot out my transgressions. 

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, 

and cleanse me from my sin.

  

For I know my transgressions, 

and my sin is ever before me. 

Against you, you alone, have I sinned, 

and done what is evil in your sight, 

so that you are justified in your sentence 

and blameless when you pass judgment. 

Indeed, I was born guilty, 

a sinner when my mother conceived me.

  

You desire truth in the inward being; 

therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. 

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; 

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 

Let me hear joy and gladness; 

let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. 

Hide your face from my sins, 

and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, 

and put a new and right spirit within me. 

Do not cast me away from your presence, 

and do not take your holy spirit from me. 

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, 

and sustain in me a willing spirit.

SERMON:  RECOVERING AN AWARENESS OF GOD

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

1. Can you think of a time when someone was telling you a story, and in the telling they were able to change your point of view?

2. As Nathan told the parable, how do you think David felt when he found out the story was actually about him?

3. How is David’s story, your story?

4. Why do you think David decided not to go out to battle “in the Spring”?

5. Is there some temptation that you are seriously struggling with in your life right now?  

    Do you feel that you can take it to God in prayer?  

    What kept David from taking it to God in prayer, earlier on?

6. Do you have any “Nathan” in your life who you can go to, to seek counsel from, pray with?

7. In the sermon, Steve said, “David deserved death, but he received mercy from God, who for some incredible reason, keeps calling us back into relationship with himself.  This God loved David, he loves you and he loves me”.  How does this inform your perception of God?

 INVITATION & PRAYER

Was there an invitation from God to you that you discerned as you listened to the sermon, or took time to be still in God's presence and mediate on these verses?  Take some time to pray that God may enable you to respond to this invitation.