David looked up and saw the Angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth with his sword drawn, reaching out over Jerusalem. So David and the leaders of Israel put on burlap to show their deep distress and fell face down on the ground. And David said to God, “I am the one who called for the census! I am the one who has done wrong! But these people are as innocent as sheep — what have they done? O Lord my God, let your anger fall against me and my family, but do not destroy your people.”

— 1 Chronicles 21:16-17

I had my suspicions, but I couldn’t prove it. Our youth group’s honor system snack bar money kept coming up short.

I had hoped that conscience would win the day, but sadly, it didn’t.

Finally, I caught the person and confronted him.

He kept denying it like the child with the cookie still in his mouth as he tells his dad he didn’t eat it.

Instead of acknowledging he was the one stealing and asking for forgiveness, he just left and never came back.

David was truly a remarkable man.

God even said so by applying this description to him, “a man after my own heart.”

He was a warrior, a musician, a husband, a poet, a leader of men, a songwriter, a father, a king and a shepherd.

He was also human.

Imperfect.

Capable of the most egregious behavior.

One of the tell-tale signs of those who love God is not their perfection, but rather their willingness to say, “I am the one” when they’ve done wrong.

The temptation to cover up, deny, make excuses or blame others is one we’ve all faced.

When we see others doing it, we shake our heads in disbelief.

“Why don’t they just ’fess up?” we think to ourselves.

The answer of course, is “The same reasons we don’t.”

God honors the humble, repentant heart.

He always has.

People respect those who are willing to admit they’ve done wrong.

Let’s embrace David’s example in our failures: “I am the one.”

He is so I will

I love you, Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold. I will call on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, for he saves me from my enemies.

— Psalm 18:1-3

As the young woman entered the hospital room in her white lab coat, we just looked at her quizzically.

The same questions were bouncing around in all our heads. Who are you? What are you doing here?

Clearly the looks on our faces communicated the same questions.

She quickly introduced herself and let us know she was Dr. So-and-so’s physician assistant. After that, we freely asked her questions appropriate to her identity.

In Psalm 18, David couldn’t stop himself from reciting everything he knew God to be. My Strength. My Rock. My Fortress. My Savior. My God. My Protector. My Shield. My Strength. My Stronghold.

Whoa! Given this reality of who God is, David responded appropriately and passionately.

“I love you, Lord.” “I will call on the Lord.”

His experiences with God informed his responses to him.

Who do we know God to be?

In your daily walk with him, how have you experienced him?

Does it look, sound or feel anything like what we see David writing here?

If not, why not?

Is the Lord our primary passion like he was for David, or do we imagine him to be a spiritual accessory to call on or blame when times get tough?

What adjustments need to be made in our lives so that we cry out with David, “I love you, Lord”?

Wiles is senior minister of Fall Creek Christian Church in Pendleton. He can be reached at 765-778-3166.