Friday Reading: Psalm 51:16-17
Key Verse: Psalms 51 17
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
Devotion:
Have you noticed that when people get found guilty of doing something wrong, they go out of their way to try and get out of having to pay for the crime? People will go to extraordinary lengths to try and escape punishment! But when people are told of a punishment that will happen in the future, at an uncertain time, and are still allowed to roam free whilst they wait for that punishment; they tend not to bother about finding out how to get out of it – because they still think they are free… People who are truly convinced that they have sinned and that they will have to pay for that sin through death will do whatever they can to be able to get out of that punishment. Because they find out in their hearts about the crime and the punishment, they know then that they have to find a solution. That solution is surprisingly easy!
Have you noticed that when people get found guilty of doing something wrong, they go out of their way to try and get out of having to pay for the crime? People will go to extraordinary lengths to try and escape punishment! But when people are told of a punishment that will happen in the future, at an uncertain time, and are still allowed to roam free whilst they wait for that punishment; they tend not to bother about finding out how to get out of it – because they still think they are free… People who are truly convinced that they have sinned and that they will have to pay for that sin through death will do whatever they can to be able to get out of that punishment. Because they find out in their hearts about the crime and the punishment, they know then that they have to find a solution. That solution is surprisingly easy!
No matter what sins we have committed, we will never find true satisfaction in doing any of them. Just as we will never find satisfaction, Christ cannot abide them! Each one of us that are able to find that we have done things wrong must be willing to come forward with a broken spirit. We must know within ourselves that we are broken, that we have separated ourselves from God because of what we have done. Each of us must then be willing to come forward with a contrite heart. That is to say that we should be willing to give it all up so that we can please God again. Unless we are willing to beg for forgiveness for what we have done and continue to do wrong, we are not convinced within our own hearts that we have done wrong. It is only when we truly admit to our faults that we are then able to come forward in all sincerity.
It is that sincere moment in our lives that Christ lovingly waits with all patience for. At that moment we are asking for forgiveness with a sincere heart. Our spirit is realised to be broken. We are willing to come forward and do what is required… But all that is required is that we ask for His forgiveness, believing that He will do exactly that because He is the Son of God. How simple…
Points to Ponder:
Do other people accept your apology when you don’t mean it?
Do you think God will accept your apology if you don’t mean it?
Do other people accept your apology when you don’t mean it?
Do you think God will accept your apology if you don’t mean it?