Thursday, June 18, 2009

We need to ask God for a Mulligan

Has anyone ever heard of a Mulligan??? If your a golfer you probably know what that means. I'm not a golfer so when I heard this term it really didn't make any sense but last Sunday our sermon was about restoration.
Psalm 51 is all about that and the plea for mercy. Its about crying out to God for restoring a fallen soul.

Have mercy on me,
O God, according to your unfailing love,
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

David had just been confronted with his sin of committing adultery with Bathsheba, and then having her husband killed. He saw his sin as God saw it and cried out for mercy. He needed mercy and restoration for his soul. Only God can give that by seeking forgiveness, by confession and repentance. That means we have to take action and call out to the Lord.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me
against you , you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight.

This country is falling apart at the seams, and lets be honest and call it what it really is, sin!
How can we expect God to have mercy on us when we kill the innocent unborn, when we bring laws into effect that say it is OK to marry same sex partners, when Christmas and Easter the two most holy holidays are turned into folly for a fat Rosy cheeked present toting man, and a bunny who hands out chocolate eggs??? When our very own president says we are not a Judeo-christian nation!!!

These are only on the forefront of my mind right now there are so many more sins that are becoming the norm in our daily lives, and they are covered over with, its just an altered life style or we have to be tolerant of how others feel or believe.

Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

We need to be on our faces before a Holy God begging forgiveness for our own sin as well as the sins of this great nation we live in. Praying for the eyes of our government to be opened, for the scales to be taken off the people to see clearly the path were headed on is straight to hell.

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.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit ,to sustain me.

A "mulligan" is a do over in the golf game, if you hit the ball into the rough and your partner agrees, you can take the shot over. God gives us a do over or a mulligan if we seek His face and ask forgiveness, believe in the cleansing blood that the Son shed for us, its the only way to get to our permanent resting place in Heaven. This earth is not our final home, Praise God for that!!!

Our pastor left us with a little saying that says alot, I think you will like it too.

Sin takes us further that we want to go,
Keeps us longer than we want to stay,
Cost us more than we want to pay.




6 comments:

Susan said...

AMEN - AMEN!!!! We, our Nation and the "Church" have strayed so far from God it's heart breaking...BUT GOD always has a remnant.
Susan

Mari said...

I had never heard of a Mulligan until a few years ago when our pastor used it as an illustration in his message - very similar to what your pastor said.
You are so right in what you said here. I'll just echo Susan's AMEN!

Mary said...

Nancy,

Money and greed are some of the deadliest sins and today they rule our nations. What was at one time an abomination is now called "normal." Until we get back to God, things will continue to get worse. When we got away from prayer and Bible reading in schools, lack of discipline for our children and various other things, it started to go downhill and has snowballed from there. Interesting post.

Blessings,
Mary

Fitter After 50 said...

It seems to me that it used to be the other way around at one time. Where the Word was the main education and everything else a mere pittance. I'd like to see us get back to those days.

Anonymous said...

Oh I am LOOKING UP ALRIGHT!! Always though you should of been a preacher!! You would make a darn good one:) Amen sister!!

Saija said...

God inspired ...
i must copy for myself, to digest it again ...

blessings on you this sunday ...