Control - Alt - Delete

We’ve all been there. You’re typing away with clear thoughts flowing through your head and at almost 95% completion, and Mr. CPU decides to “freeze up”. The sound of ugh! (At best) followed by the immediate desire to toss said computer out the window would make everything better, right? But before we begin into a sea of despair, we remember that Windows allows one more “trick”…control-alt-delete. And we frantically press it multiple times just to make sure the command is received that we aren’t happy.

But this simple function was put in place to allow you to reboot the computer from the keyboard without shutting it down, and consequently allowing your hard work to be saved without major issues.

If only life were that easy. There are times in our lives when having a “reboot” is what we need. Maybe it’s a do-over from a bad thought or wrong decision that causes an unhealthy spiritual virus on our system. We need to reboot it back to its original settings.

A complete reboot is what David wanted after his confrontation with Nathan about his sins with Bathsheba. David finally realized the error in his ways and he desperately wanted the joy back that he had when he was in God’s favor. But in order for that to occur, he needed God’s forgiveness.

Psalm 51:12 says, “Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit.”

While in his sea of despair, David asks God for a willing spirit, one that was not weighed down by sin and shame. He wants God to give him a heart to do what’s right and he knows that it’s only that type of submissiveness that pleases God.

You know, when we aren’t running our best, we might need a reboot. It begins with an honest confession of the sin (which by the way, God already knows about) and asking Him to remove any desire to follow that sin again. True repentance will result in a control-alt-delete in our lives, but we must remember that just because we’ve messed up and carry the scars of sin with us, like David, we aren’t doomed. God has the patent on the original control-alt-delete, not Microsoft!

Remember, God loves us in spite of our sin, but He does not desire that we live in our sin. We can still enjoy that same intimacy and closeness with God that He desires and we need. 

Be Real,

Pastor Jay