What Repentance Cannot Do

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love.  Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. [Psalm 51.1]

So, here's the deal.  David repented of his sin and God forgave him.

But... there are some things repentance cannot do.

The tide of events set in motion by David's sin was not interrupted just because David repented.  I know we've not come to that part yet in the OYCB - but it is coming.  Just as the prophet Nathan declared, dysfunction beyond belief follows in the story of David's family even though David so beautifully and eloquently repented.  It all began with the death of the ill-begotten child of David's sin but certainly did not stop there.  Even though David found some relief after the death of the child, as painful as that event was, and as seemingly relieved as David was for its passing, more horrific events were to follow.

Based on the story line today, I would be very curious to know exactly when David penned the words of Psalm 51.  Was it before or after the child died?  Was David still hoping for the child's life to be spared when he wrote this song?  If so, how might the song have gone afterwards?  There is just much we do not know.

I am fully aware that sexual sins have the real potential to produce results that cannot simply be forgotten.  Particularly when a child is born resultant to sinful actions (adultery, etc.), creative forces are at work - destinies are both created and altered.  Jesus' Advent to earth did not change this fact.

Should we not give a more in-depth look at our "forgive and forget" mentality (especially when applied to ourselves)?  Just because a baby is not conceived, are we to think our other less obvious sins have no repercussions just because we repent?

I think disobedience and sin should not be so easily discounted!  Sin sets in motion events out of the reach of repentance.  A life conceived resultant to promiscuous sexual activity cannot be made to go away (without further sin).  A life terminated resultant to murder cannot be brought back just because of repentance.  These facts are obvious.  

What other unstoppable less obvious non life or death events are set in motion by our sin that repentance is incapable of altering?

In light of all that I am personally experiencing this year in reading through the chronological Bible, I am very anxious to continue this journey and re-assess my position as I arrive again into the light of Jesus and Grace.

Father, I want to look upon sin, repentance and Jesus in the fullest light of Your Word!  Help me to obey!  Help me to repent!  Help me to see Jesus!