This morning the Lord took me back to Psalm 51. I love the richness of these words of David. He was repenting for doing wrong yet this Psalm goes beyond repentance. Verse seventeen once again speaks to me. "a broken spirit...a broken and contrite heart..." Brokenness is not easy but when one becomes broken before the Lord they will find themselves on a whole new level in their relationship with Him. They will find themselves seeking more of Him and less of themselves. I like the way Matthew Henry describes a broken spirit...
The good work wrought in every true penitent, is a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, and sorrow for sin. It is a heart that is tender, and pliable to God's word. Oh that there were such a heart in every one of us! God is graciously pleased to accept this; it is instead of all burnt-offering and sacrifice. The broken heart is acceptable to God only through Jesus Christ; there is no true repentance without faith in him. Men despise that which is broken, but God will not. He will not overlook it, he will not refuse or reject it; though it makes God no satisfaction for the wrong done to him by sin.
God's desire is for all to not only believe in Him but to live a life pleasing to Him. When we become broken before Him, we surrender to Him. That means every aspect of our life is given to Him. It is already His but yet we try to control it. We must surrender our checkbook, our calendar, our family...everything. When we become broken, we surrender our will to Him. That sounds like a negative situation yet it is anything but negative. I have found His peace to be powerful in my surrender to Him. Even in the midst of the storms of life I know He is there empowering me to live out the storm in the best way possible. It is through a broken spirit that God's love shines through the greatest.
The first Beatitude Jesus gave us in the Sermon on the Mount shows us what happens when we become broken before Him. Those who are "poor in spirit" are those who realize they need Jesus. They are the people who cry out to Him and seek more of Him. The "poor in spirit" are the ones who please the Lord with the way they live.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for taking me back to Psalm 51...especially verse seventeen. Thank You for showing me how living a life of surrender does not have to be a negative but instead is truly a positive! Thank You for Your arms that took me back so many years ago when I had walked away from You. Thank You for the day that is ahead. I pray for You to use me mightily to make a difference in someone's life. May You fill me to overflowing with more of You...may Your words be my words and Your attitude be my attitude. Father, my heart breaks for those who are dealing with issues with their adult children that have pulled them away from You. I pray against the enemy's stronghold upon their lives. I pray against the way he is using people to cause Your children to live in blatant sin. I pray for believers to surrender to You so they can be empowered to stand up against the enemy. Oh Father, comfort my friends in these storms of life that seem so overwhelming. Heal the marriages...bring those who have strayed to false religions back into relationship with You...heal the mental/emotional spirits that are believing the falseness of this world. I am praying today Lord "on earth as it is in heaven" over so many situations. There are no overdoses in heaven...there are no divorces in heaven...there are no false religions in heaven...there is no abuse in heaven...there is no same-sex relationships in heaven...there is no deception by the enemy in heaven. Thank You Jesus for being The One I Am Surrendered To. Amen.
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