September 01, 2021: Create in Us a Clean Heart Lord...So That We May Come Before You in Worship.

As I have read throughout the scriptures the stories of the many people who have commune with God and were used by Him, all have a common thread that runs through them. All of them eventually had to come before God with a "clean heart", you might say a broken and contrite heart.

To be able to have a "clean heart" before God, to be able to truly speak with Him and know that He is truly listening to us and to know that He speaks with us through His Holy Spirit, and His word, is a great privilege and honor. But that can only happen as we come to examine ourselves first. As we truly come to recognize who we are in God's eyes, "a wretched sinner" forgiven yes, but still a wretched sinner.

As the apostle Paul speaks about in Romans Chapter 7 of the struggle of a person has with himself throughout the whole chapter, and then finally screams out in verse 24: Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Then in verse 25 the apostle Paul give us the answer: "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

You see, we have the privilege and honor now to come before God and speak with Him, and He listens and speaks back to us, but not because of our good nature, or because of anything we have done, but only through the grace and forgiveness that Jesus did for us on the cross. It is only through our brokenness, and now "clean heart" that Jesus has given to us through His death on the cross, can we come to God with confidence, knowing that He is truly listening and will speak back to us through His Holy Spirit and many times through His Holy word. Let us remember the words of King David:

Psalm 51: 1-2 & 10 (NKJV)

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity

And cleanse me from my sin. And then in verse 10: 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Let us also not forget the words of King David in Psalm 51:17: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

Personnel Comment:

You see, God will never despise or reject us if we truly come to Him with a "broken spirit and contrite (remorseful) heart". We must always come to Him with "Total and Absolute Surrender" of all of ourselves to Him. We must be willing to give up "all" of our pride and self, to Him. "None of us, and all of Him!"