The following words written by the great King David after he had abused his authority over Bathsheba, another man’s wife, by having sexual relations with her.  When he found out she was pregnant, he arranged to have her husband killed in battle.  After being confronted by the prophet Nathan, he finally realized what he had done and wrote (scribbled?) these words.

¹   Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
²   Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin. (Psalm 51: 1-2 NRSV)

Having intimate relations with another person is well…an intimate thing.  In the best of circumstances it takes place between a husband and a wife in the comfort and security of a committed relationship.  In the worst of circumstances it is driven by an addiction or physical abuse.   The porn industry lowers people’s normal desires for physical intimacy to something outside God’s intentions.  Shame and regret attach themselves to the sinner like magnets.

Men and women can be caught in the web of sexual addiction for years without realizing there is a way out.  God, our creator, is a merciful and gracious God who also loves us.  As we ask for His mercy, He forgives us and cleanses us even from sexual sins.  When we’re in the thick of it, we may think there is no way out of habitual sexual sin.  If that is the case for anyone reading this, look up the story of King David and see what happened.  It may be found in Chapters Eleven and Twelve of Second Samuel in the Bible.  Psalm 51 is then David’s prayer for forgiveness and cleansing.   Make it your prayer too.

The sin is never too big or shameful to be forgiven by God.  This is true even of sexual sin