Sunday Reading: Psalm 51:16-19
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.
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.
Devotion:
Some may like to say that they have had the biggest sin in their lives and hence they have the biggest reward for having that forgiven... but forgiveness of the greatest sin is not what is required. The requirement is that you, no matter what you have done, have an honest and complete admission of your sin through guilt and have made an honest request for that to be forgiven. It is not the size of the sin that counts, it is how you personally have handled it with God.
Some may like to say that they have had the biggest sin in their lives and hence they have the biggest reward for having that forgiven... but forgiveness of the greatest sin is not what is required. The requirement is that you, no matter what you have done, have an honest and complete admission of your sin through guilt and have made an honest request for that to be forgiven. It is not the size of the sin that counts, it is how you personally have handled it with God.
A contrite heart is one that has changed from the hard and unchanging mass to a soft and pliable one that is more willing to be moulded by our Saviour into one that is more pleasing to Him. One that will show that through the changes, He has been glorified. It is not, again, our own glory about how we have been forgiven, but the glory of God that He is able, willing and just to forgive us of any sin that we are willing to bring to Him in the right manner.
The burnt offerings and blood offerings of the past were a sign of giving up something totally to God. Once it had been sacrificed, there was no going back. The sacrifice was a total sacrifice. Why then should we think that our admission of sin should be anything less that a totally admission of that sin? Christ was the one who made a full and total commitment on the cross so that our sins could be forgiven; but if we are not willing to bring forward those sins so that He can be glorified for what He has done, then should we expect anything in return?
Christ wants us to glorify His works, to glorify Him through what we do and how we do it. He wants to see us willing to put our own pride aside and let Him shine through each one of us. He wants us to admit that everything that has been done in the past for Israel had a purpose and is real. He wants us to admit that He is our One True God!
Points to Ponder:
Do you admit to things half-heartedly?
What would you do if God said that you may or may not go to heaven?
Do you admit to things half-heartedly?
What would you do if God said that you may or may not go to heaven?