The Coveted Broken Heart

"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 51:16-17

He wants this from me, yet I'm unsure of it's qualities.  My Father desires humility, brokenness, a repentant heart above my best efforts at working for Him.  He wants me to both be sorry for my sin, not taking His grace and mercy for granted but realizing how much I depend on them, and willing to be used by Him despite my brokenness.

While I try to wrap my mind around this idea of brokenness, I wanted to know how it looks as it is played out in someone's life.  Here are a few examples.

Ruth.  There was nothing left to hold her to this woman who had come to mean so much to her.  Her husband was dead. Customarily, a young widow would return to her parent's home where she would stay until finding another husband.  The culture did not make provisions for unattached women; it would only make sense for Ruth to return home.  But something drew her to Naomi.

In marrying Mahlon, Ruth was introduced by his mother to the One True God.  Through this woman's faith, she saw something she wanted for herself.  As Ruth was faced with the decision of going back to what was familiar, the religion, customs and ways of her people, or staying with Naomi and travel to a new land, she chose the latter.  Not only did her mother-in-law capture her heart, but this God was One whom she wanted to pledge allegiance to.

Ruth could easily have done what was expected of her.  Instead, she was willing to let go of her past with all it's familiar practices, people, and gods and give her heart to the One who pursued her.  It would have been easier for her to follow Naomi's directives and head back home, but her heart had been changed and what used to hold value to her no longer meant a thing.  All she wanted was for Naomi's God to be her God (Ruth 1).

I, too, am a foreign woman who is being offered a new life in an unfamiliar yet irresistibly enticing kingdom.  Will I let go of what is so comfortable and embrace what Jesus is offering?

A broken heart is willing to let go of the old and embrace what God is offering by faith in Jesus Christ; an abundant life that is upside down and backwards from this world.

Joseph.  He was treated horribly, thrown in a pit by his own brothers and left to die, only to be sold on a whim to foreign merchants who were passing through to Egypt (Genesis 37).  He, the favored son of a rich man, suddenly found himself working as a lowly slave.  Still, he didn't let such an offense to his pride keep him down.  Instead, Joseph was willing to be used by God, right where he was.

If the same thing happened to me and my own family willfully sold me into the slave trade where I became a victim of human trafficking, a possession used by greedy men to make money for them to enjoy, I would be outraged.  It would be hard for me to accept my position, doing my best to help my masters.  While the analogy is not perfect since Joseph did not seem to be mistreated by Potiphar, it had to have been humiliating to serve someone else with no hope of living a life of his own.

Am I willing to take any position, no matter how low or high, in order to further God's kingdom?  Is nothing out of the question when it comes to God's calling on my life, or are there some places I would never agree to go, certain stations I would not approve of for my own life?

A broken heart is willing to be used wherever God places me.

Mary.  It would be humiliating, not to mention shameful and downright embarrassing  She was a young woman, pledged to marry.  How would she explain a pregnancy?  People would talk, rumors would spread and she could be in danger of being stoned.  If she did escape with her life, would Joseph even agree to go through with the marriage, thinking of her as damaged goods?  There was much to sacrifice in order for Mary to accept the calling God had on her life (Luke 1:29-38).

While it's easy to focus on the honor of carrying the Messiah, it came with a price.  Mary faced ridicule, disgrace and being treated as an outcast in order to accept such a mission.  Yet, she barely even gave her own comfort a second thought, instead desiring God to have His way in her life.

I tend to fight God in a lot of ways.  I say I love Him and have given my life to Him, but there are many things that I consider off limits.  I wouldn't want to go through a scandal of some kind where I was falsely accused, judged as guilty and scorned by all.  If I ended up in jail, humiliated by my fall from grace, would I accept it as my lot in life?  What if I lost all my possessions and ended up on the street, dependent upon the kindness of strangers to keep me alive?  I also couldn't imagine being tortured for my faith; would I be able to withstand such treatment as other Christians endure?  Am I willing to be His hands and feet in the most shameful or cruel of places?

A broken heart is willing to undergo shame and heartache in order to accept God's calling on my life.

I don't like to think of myself as broken.  When I see my sin for what it is, however; an offense to God, I'll see myself in a different way.  I'm no different than anyone else for the ground is level at the foot of the cross.  As I stand there, gazing up at my Savior's suffering countenance, I am humbled to the point of brokenness, realizing there is nothing He declared as off limits in His love for me.  Why, then, would I not be willing to go wherever He calls me, to be used right where I am, and to endure any kind of treatment in my obedience to Him?  This is when I will realize the coveted broken heart.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to let Him have His way.

When do I think of myself as better than I am?

How do I declare certain areas as off limits for service to Him? 

      

Better Left Unsaid

"This time he told the dream to his father

as well as to his brothers,

but his father scolded him.

'What kind of dream is that?' he asked.

'Will your mother and I and your brothers

actually come and bow to the ground before you?'

But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph,

his father wondered what the dreams meant."

Genesis 37:10-11

The dream filled the boy with a feeling of self-worth and purpose.  If God has placed me in such a high position, I'd better let everyone know so we can all be on the same page!  And so he shared the details of the dream with his family, telling them how their bundles of grain bowed before his, and how the sun, the moon and eleven stars did the same. (Genesis 37:5-9)

Joseph might have thought his family would be happy to hear this prophetic dream, but he miscalculated their reaction.  As was to be expected, his brothers only hated him all the more and even his father was perplexed by this dream.  Jacob must have asked himself, who does this boy think he is?

I can find an important lesson in studying how Joseph handled this powerful vision.  There are times when I am tempted to tell everything I know, inciting others to hatred, jealousy or anger.  While some things need to be told, others are better left unsaid. Therefore before I speak, it is important that I take a sober look at my motivation for saying the words I'm thinking.

Prideful

His eyes took in the magnificence of his beloved Babylon.  "By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor." (Daniel 4:30)  Soon, this man found himself grazing the fields like an animal, taking seven years for God to humble the great and mighty king Nebuchadnezzar.

When this prideful king uttered those condemning words that fateful day, his purpose was to elevate himself and bring glory to his own name.  While I personally don't know anyone who is so full of himself, I can think of times when I say things only to improve my image before others, or to boost my own self-confidence, or to draw attention to my good qualities.

As a human with a sinful nature, I am naturally the center of my own universe.  As I come closer to the Lord, however, He is constantly wearing away those old selfish ways so I can let Christ be the focal point of every part of my life.  Carefully considering my speech before a word leaves my mouth is one way to honor Him as Lord.

If I'm thinking of a way to elevate myself, these are words that are better left unsaid.

Personal

Mary and Joseph watched in wonder as a steady stream of shepherds, grimy from their work in the fields, streamed into their tiny temporary home.  The men chattered about the wondrous angelic choir which had announced the birth of the tiny Savior minutes before, but fell silent as they stood before the babe in the manger, worshiping Him in humble awe.  As Mary gazed upon the scene, she held it all in her heart, marveling at the wonder of it all. (Luke 2:19)

Some messages are meant just for me.  In the same way that Mary treasured all the things she had heard and seen and pondered them in her heart, I would be wise to consider whether a message, experience or happening is meant to be shared.  

Perhaps God is using His Word to convict me of a certain area of sin.  Instead of keeping it to myself, though, I might feel tempted to challenge others with the same conviction.  Other times I may be inspired by the realization of a personal triumph of faith.  In the place of using the victory to spur me on, however, I may want to hold it up as some kind of standard for others to reach. Then there are times when a friend reveals a private struggle, seeking prayer and counsel from me.  While I may think her story is a good example of God's grace working in a redeemed life, betraying her confidence might damage the trust we have built.

If I receive a personal message that is meant only for my ears, these words are better left unsaid.

Manipulative

"I was deeply moved by your latest movie: You are a gifted actor.  I've seen every one of your films but I think this is the best one yet!"  It's easy to gush over celebrities or other people who are in a position of influence.  While I might mean the words I say, I must be careful that I'm not trying to flatter in order to gain their trust, perhaps winning the opportunity to benefit from their position of influence.

There are not too many opportunities in my life when I will run into a powerful person who could be used in a way that benefits me.  There are, however, many times when I am tempted to use my words to get what I want. 

If I overspent at the grocery store, I may think it necessary to fix a nice dinner for my husband and compliment him on his hard work on the job before I break the news to him.  Is my heart truly meaning what I say or am I just trying to use my words to butter up my beloved so he will more easily take the disappointment?

Or perhaps I mine for compliments from friends, using my words in a way that coerces them into building me up.  Other times I might simply lay on a guilt trip, bringing up past hurts as a way to lead my family into feeling shame.

If I am using my words as a weapon to achieve a goal that will benefit me, these are things that are better left unsaid.

In the same way that Joseph sharing his dream brought trouble upon himself, so my words can heap a world of hurt upon my shoulders.  Consequently, I would be wise to use the guidance of God's Spirit to choose them wisely.  If the message I'm about to deliver is for the purpose of building me up, is personal in nature, or is meant to manipulate others, these are words that are better left unsaid.  If I stay sensitive to the gentle quiet voice that discerns my own sinful motivations from His, my words will more often bring glory to God.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God to be a filter for my mouth.

When do I blurt out the first thing that comes to my mind?

How am I using my words to get what I want instead of to build others up, bringing glory to God?

Believe

"For nothing is impossible with God.”

 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. 

“May it be to me as you have said.” 

Then the angel left her.

Luke 1:37-38

"Oh, Christmas isn't just a day, it's a frame of mind."

"Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to."

"He who has no Christmas in his heart will find no Christmas under the tree."

"People have to believe in something."

"I need to believe something extraordinary is possible."

"Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone."

If you've watched any Christmas movies lately, you might recognize some of these quotes, or the sentiments behind them.  I tend to get mushy at Christmas time and overflow with warm and fuzzy thoughts.  But do I really know what these thoughts mean, or do I just repeat them because they sound good?  

Christmas is a day set aside for me to remember the birth of our Savior; Jesus Christ.  Since He is the author and perfecter of my faith, is it possible to have faith without Him?  And, is it possible to have faith in general, or does it need to be directed toward something or someone?

The Source  Faith, as defined in Hebrews 11:1, "is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  As outlined in the "hall of fame of faith" found in Hebrews 11, faith is vital to anyone serious about following Jesus.  In fact, verse 6 explains the importance of faith in our walk. ". . . without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."  I have no hope of pleasing God without having supreme confidence in Him and His ability to keep His promises and provide for my every need.  Even this certainty, however, is not from myself, but is a gift of grace from God himself.  "By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence." (I Peter 1:3)  If I want to have faith, I must get to know the One who is the source of faith. 

The Focus Faith is nothing in and of itself.  Or as Oswald Chambers so wisely phrased it: "Faith that is sure of itself is not faith; faith that is sure of God is the only faith there is."  It sounds good to say, "you just have to believe that everything will be okay," but it rings hollow in the face of the truth.  "Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory." (1 Peter 1:21 NLT)  God will never let me down; I can trust in Him completely.  I cannot just believe, but I must believe in God.  My faith must be directed toward God, or it is an empty shell.  If I want my faith to be true, I must direct it toward Him.

When the angel Gabriel visited Mary to inform her of God's plan, she believed the angel's words when he said that nothing is impossible with God, and she accepted His impossible plan for her life.  Her faith was from God and  in God.  As a result, we celebrate Christmas today!  May the faith God has given me make this Christmas a most precious one as I trust in Him as my Savior!

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will have faith in God and God alone.

Where do I believe what I hear without testing it against the truth found in scripture?

How can I live my life in a way that demonstrates the faith I have in Jesus?