A Broken Heart

I couldn't think of a better thing to write about today than the heart, since it is Valentine's Day.  This writing was brought to mind through my time this morning with the Lord.  As I'm reading in the book of Psalm, the words of David are screaming off the page the sorrow of a broken heart.  In chapter 54, he's crying out to God to save him, vindicate him, and hear his prayers.  As many of you may know, David was titled, "a man after God's own heart".  David made many mistakes (as we all have), yet it was his repentant and contrite heart that brought him the greatest love he would ever know. 

There is nothing more beautiful to me than humility.  I always say arrogance is the most unattractive trait a person can possess.  A humble person on the other hand puts others first, recognizes their weaknesses, and is eager to make changes in their life.  The turning point for David in his walk with the Lord was after he experienced a true brokenness of the heart.  "Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise." Psalm 51:15-17.  Sometimes it takes this in our own lives for us to recognize the gift of Jesus.  When we walk with arrogance and see no need for forgiveness, we miss the grace of God.  We all are sinners and need this gift.  "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith." Romans 3:23-25  I want to stop right here and say that for me personally, I didn't recognize my sin until I met brokenness face to face.  So many times in life we walk around thinking, "I'm a good person".  Well, we might be a "good person", but we aren't forgiven.  God is holy and the only way we can come into His presence (whether it is today on our knees or when we die and face eternity), is through this beautiful gift of forgiveness.  Let's be reminded in the book of Isaiah we are told that none of us are worthy to come into God's presence on our own merit, "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away". 

If this Valentine's Day you are looking for love - choose the BEST!  No power or force on earth can be stronger than love. And God's love is the greatest love of all.