Tag Archives: a clean heart

Pursuing God’s Heart

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2 Samuel

Does it ever make you wonder how David, the adulterous murderer, could be considered a man after God’s own heart? What’s up with that? Seems to me those are opposite character traits.

In her study book entitled, “Seamless” (Lifeway; 2018; p. 99), Angie Smith said something that hit home for me today. She writes:

“David wasn’t a man after God’s own heart because David didn’t sin. He was a man after God’s own heart because he kept coming back to God.”

David kept pursuing God’s heart even after falling repeatedly. I can’t think of anything that’s more encouraging to me in my walk with the Lord right now.

I sin. Sometimes I fall into a familiar sin I’ve confessed before. Then I get down on myself. “How can I go to God and ask Him to forgive the same sin for the umpteenth time? Why would He want to?”

Well, because that’s WHO He is!

If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) That’s a picture of unlimited grace for a repentant sinner.

Paul said that he pressed on toward the goal of knowing Christ and becoming more like Jesus. (see Philippians 3:14). He’s not describing a peaceful jog. It’s a grueling marathon, sometimes falling, sometimes weary, sometimes tripped up by obstacles. But at the same time continuing to keep the goal in view, standing up again, allowing God to brush him off and clean him up, then pressing on.

David pursued God’s heart. That’s why, even though he committed some doozie sins, we know him as a man after God’s own heart.

Most of us are not adulterers or murderers. But we are all sinners. The question is, can we be described as men and women after God’s own heart? I pray that is so.

I would encourage all of us to start our day by sincerely praying:

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me. (Psalm 51:10-12)

Then press on, forgetting what is behind. Today is a new day. Pursue God’s heart.

Psalm 51

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There are several precious verses in this psalm that I have committed to memory over the years. Somehow knowing David wrote this after his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah, his grief over facing his sin, speaks to me.

VERSE 7: Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

As someone who grew up in Ohio I know how white snow can be. When the sun shines on the sparkling flakes covering the ground, it’s so white it hurts the eyes. You look across a snow-covered field and all you see is pure, glistening white. Whatever lies beneath is completely covered. There is nothing whiter than new fallen snow shimmering in the sun. I want to be like that it God’s eyes.

Hyssop reminds us of the salvation of Israel when it was used to put blood on the doorposts of their homes before the exodus. The salvation of God makes us as clean and pure as new-fallen snow in the sunlight.

VERSE 10; Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

I pray this verse on my way to church on Sundays. I want my worship of God to come from a clean heart, my spirit steadfastly focused on Him so that my worship is acceptable to Him and brings Him joy.

VERSE 12: Restore to me the joy of my salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

On days when I am discouraged or feel over-whelmed, I pray this verse. It’s on those days I realize I’ve lost the joy of knowing my sins are forgiven. And losing that joy opens the door for discouragement and the overwhelming feelings I experience. Often, the hardest part of this verse to pray is the “grant me a willing spirit” part. Praying that means I have to let go of the discouragement and negative thoughts and feelings, and allow God to sustain me. It’s the “not my will” kind of prayer I find difficult to pray sometimes. But I pray this verse, and God always restores the joy.

VERSE 17: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

When during a time of worship I find myself thinking about whether or not to raise my hands, clap, or smile, I remind myself of this verse. God looks on my heart. And I want my heart to be broken because of sin, repentant and humble, knowing that is worship He will not despise.

Finally, VERSE 15: O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

May this be true in my life every day. May I be quick to praise the Lord. He deserves nothing less!

(I Kings 3-7) Living In Splendor

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The Temple is built. I can only imagine the splendor. It was a house built for the King of Kings! It must have been breathtaking with all the gold, silver, cedar, carvings and sculptures. I’m glad God included those details in the passages I read today.

But as I read, I kept thinking about how, even after seven years of careful construction and at great expense, this temple will not survive. In a few short years, things will drastically change because of the disobedience of God’s people.

What does this tell us about God? After all, the Bible is given to us so that we can know Him. What does He want us to know?

As I sat here and thought about this, I recognized how this picture of the Temple, like all Scripture, paints a picture of how God blesses obedience; but He removes Himself and His protection when His people disobey. That was true in Solomon’s day. It’s still true today.

It’s true in our personal lives, and it’s true in a nation.

I want my walk with God to be in the splendor of His glorious Presence. Like the brick and mortar temple Solomon built with all it’s glory, every minute detail designed and blessed by God as I obey Him. I am able to do that because of His grace and mercy, as I continually submit to Him.

Sadly, I sometimes find myself walking in the rubble of a temple leveled by disobedience.

We will see in the chapters and books ahead how the Israelites will try time after time to rebuild or redecorate the temple. It will never be brought back to the glory we read about in these chapters in I Kings. However, unlike the temple Solomon built, I am able to return to that splendor when I confess and repent of sin. God’s Presence is renewed, my walk blessed by Him as I follow His blueprint for my life.

May my walk today be a life marked by the glorious Presence of God. May my heart be clean according to His plan. May I stand out as someone who is walking in the splendor which is God Himself. And may I be blessed, and a blessing, as I obey Him with all my heart.

June 2; Character

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Proverbs 19-21

Rich, poor. Honest, dishonest. Righteous, wicked. Humble, proud. Wise foolish. Lazy, industrious. God has a lot to say to us through Solomon about these characteristics. What we assume is success, or a good heart in someone, may only be a smokescreen for a sinful heart. And just because we see someone who seems to have it all together, it doesn’t mean that person isn’t going to face serious consequences for sin.

“All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart.” (Proverbs 21:2)  Only you know if you truly love and fear God, if you’ve given that heart to Him by repenting of sin and accepting what Jesus died to give you.

I hope your character is above reproach. More than that – I pray your heart is.

 

February 18; My Heart’s Not In It

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Leviticus 8-10

Aaron was a dad. And like any parent I’m pretty sure that when he stood before Israel as their priest with his sons at his side, there was a great sense of satisfaction and joy at having his sons follow in his footsteps.

If you are a parent, I’d imagine you’ve experienced the same when your son or daughter followed in your footsteps and decided to follow Jesus, maybe joined in a ministry with you. Can there be a greater satisfaction than having your child serve God next to you?

But sadly for Aaron, that joy didn’t last long. Two of his sons paid the ultimate price for disobedience when God struck them dead, right in front of their dad. To make matters worse, Aaron had to decide whether to throw himself on the dead bodies of his children or honor God. He chose God.

But that doesn’t mean his heart wasn’t broken.

At the end of chapter 10, we are at the dinner table with Aaron and his two remaining sons. It wasn’t just a meal. It was part of the sin offering as commanded by God for the people of Israel. The priests (Aaron and sons) were to eat part of the offering in a holy place. What was left of the offering after they had eaten was to be burned up.

They sat there, but they couldn’t bring themselves to eat. Their hearts weren’t in it. So they packed up the left-overs and burned them. The fact that they burned the whole thing made Moses mad. Hadn’t they learned what God felt about disobedience? Aren’t two dead sons enough for us to get the message?

In essence Aaron said,”I’ve done everything required of me today for the sins of the people. I’ve honored God above my sons. But my sadness has taken away my appetite for food. Would God want me to just go through the motions?” Moses knew the answer was, “No.”

And God doesn’t want us to just go through the motions, either. I think of the privilege of gathering around the Communion Table to remember Jesus, His cross, and His resurrection. I wonder how many times I’ve gone through the motions when my heart wasn’t in it, when sin put up that wall between me and my Savior. I wonder how many times I’ve reached in and pulled out a tiny cracker, knowing I shouldn’t, but afraid of what people might think if I let it pass by me.

It’s not just the Lord’s Table I’m thinking about. Aaron has something to say about any act of service or expression of worship. Going through the motions isn’t obedience. God is not interested in sacrifices if our hearts aren’t in it. Man notices and judges us based on what we do. God sees the heart.

Create in me a clean heart, O God so I can serve and honor You like You deserve.