Messiness, the sequel, the sequel

Why do we have this concept of God that says "He'll love me if..."? We feel like we have to earn His favor, or measure up, or be super-Christian or something. Well, I'm not. I'm a mess, remember? So I'm havin' this conversation with someone this morning and they're basically telling me that they're a mess. OK, so am I! So we look to some of the messes in Scripture...here's David, for one: Look at what he writes to the Lord in Psalm 51:1-12:

1 Have mercy on me, O God,according to your unfailing love;according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions,and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness;let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 10 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Can I paraphrase? David says to God, "I'm a mess, but you love me anyway!" Good stuff. So now read on to verse 13: "Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you."

Do you see that? The THEN word? David realized that God will use him, and that he can teach others, and that sinners will turn to the Lord, THEN! When? When he realizes that he is a mess, and he admits that to God, and allows the Lord to love him anyhow.

Now I'm inspired...to write my own Psalm. Here it is:

Brettspsalm 1:1 "Yo God. I'm a mess. You know it and I know it. Love me anyway, and I'll do my best to love you back. And then you can use me..."