Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Sincere Heart

Hebrews 10 :22
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

This verse tells us not only to draw near to God, but to do so with a sincere heart. I want to draw near to God, but how sincere is my heart? In the past I would have said, “yes, definitely!” but anymore I in all honesty say that.

It is not because I have changed, as if I had a sincere heart at one time but no longer do. Instead it is that I have started to see myself and my motives more clearly recently. I’ve come to see how much selfishness I have in my heart and how much I still cling to the things of this world – material things, worldly thinking and reasoning, worldly desires, the praises of men.

So then the question becomes, if I say I want to draw close to God – what is my reason? If I don’t have a sincere heart then is it because I want something from Him? I’m still seeing Him as a genie in a bottle who will perform as I desire if I just learn the correct way to appease Him?

Lord,
Please transform my heart. Cleanse me of the things of this world which in my weakness I continue to grasp. Soften my heart that I may draw near to You.


Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and 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)

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God,
you will not despise.
(Psalm 51:17)

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I am pryaing this prayer along with you. Awesome and powerful. Love you Ang.