May 11, 2021 -- Psalm 51:17 -- Lifting up a broken heart to God

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Psalm 51:17 English Standard Version

This is a bit foreign to us as New Testament believers. It seems strange to speak of sacrifices. Psalm 4 notes that believers are to offer righteous sacrifices, not giving in to sin or anger. Ephesians 4 picks this up. When we are angry we are not to sin. This still leads us back to the opening issue we started with, do New Testament Christians offer sacrifices?

No. Jesus is the full and final sacrifice for all our sins. Based on His sacrifice, when we recognize our own sinfulness, our willfulness, our selfishness and anything that is brewing in us that is in rebellion against God we confess it. Our hearts are broken before God. We thank Him that our sins have not driven us to hell, but Jesus had taken our place. We confess, God You are holy and You are right in punishing sin. And in awe and wonder we thank the Father that in Christ our sins are forgiven. When we are unable to move or help ourselves, we turn to the Spirit of God, asking the Spirit to animate our soul and renew our hearts so that we are willing and ready from now on to serve Him.

Do Christians offer a sacrifice? Yes. Consider this. You may protest: I don’t feel like it. None of us “feels like it”. We are sinners. We are already aware our sin nature would drown us. So we deny ourselves. We refuse to knuckle under against sin’s siren songs. When we experience the struggle between tempting tugs our old sinful nature and the holy desires of the new creation we are in Christ, then we call on the Spirit, to arm us and equip us for the holy battle ahead. Ephesians 4:30 reminds us we are sealed with the Spirit—Jesus will not “fall out of us” like a snail mail letter might fall out of an unsealed envelope, or fall out of love with us as if He were wavering in His emotions. He is steadfast and faithful in His great salvation. When we have fallen, again (and again and again and again) into old sins—we thank God for halting our slide into sin and giving us a heart that longs for something more. Someone Who is God enough and big enough and terrible in splendour Whom we can serve.

So, we offer our hearts to the Living God. Broken as we are. Sinful as we are. Troubled as we are. In awe and wonder we bless God our Savior for the victory He has given us in Jesus. Each day we start again.

Lord my God, here I am again. A ruined sinner, wavering and uncertain of my welcome. There You are, steadfast and steady, ready to receive those who hold up broken hearts and confused contrition—can You truly love me? Yes. Oh the glory and wonder of it! Yes, You have declared Your love for us through Jesus Christ, Who was punished in our place. He died, was raised from the dead through Your glory O God, and Jesus ascended into heaven, taking the seat of power and splendour at Your right hand. Spirit of God, conquer this heart again and again so that I will be wholeheartedly willing and ready, from now on, to serve Jesus my King!

The song choice today is long. One of my high school favorites from the early days of CCM — Christian Contemporary Music.

https://youtu.be/N3TYkAWRdU4