Lord, Here's My Heart

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."

~Psalm 51:10

Do you know what my heart looks like on the inside?

It's beaten, tattered, torn.

It's worn out, used up...

Neglected.

It's been crushed, stepped on.

It's bruised from past hurts.

It's been betrayed, and it's betrayed in return.

It refuses to let anyone in for fear of injury.

It becomes defensive... quickly.

It harbors resentment.

Unforgiveness.

Bitterness, anger, jealousy.

It can be self-serving.

It's often disobedient.

Impatient. Rebellious.

It gets caught up in selfishness and greed.

Sometimes it doesn't want to give any more.

And sometimes... it just doesn't know how it can go on.

Not a pretty picture is it? Honestly... it's a mess! That's why my prayer is often...

"Lord, here's my heart. Take it, and make me new."

What more can I offer? He knows I come with dirty, empty hands. There is nothing I can do to 'sparkle' before my Lord. He knows this...He sees my heart. He knows ME. And yet He wants my heart anyway.

Why? Because HE can transform it!

There is so much to learn from King David in the Bible. He was called "a man after God's own heart"... yet he was as humanly flawed as the rest of us. And he KNEW IT! He didn't try to cover it up. He laid it all out before God, confessed it, repented, received forgiveness... and moved on with the Lord.

Listen to what David says in Psalm 51 (NIV): 

1Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your unfailing love;

according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.

2Wash away all my iniquity

and cleanse me from my sin.

3For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.

4Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you are proved right when you speak

and justified when you judge.

5Surely I was sinful at birth,

sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

6Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;

you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

7Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

9Hide your face from my sins

and blot out all my iniquity.
10Create in me a pure heart, O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11Do not cast me from your presence

or take your Holy Spirit from me.

12Restore to me the joy of your salvation

and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners will turn back to you.

14Save me from bloodguilt, O God,

the God who saves me,

and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

15O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare your praise.

16You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;

you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart,

O God, you will not despise.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™

Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

You and I, like David, even though our hearts are full of sin... can come before the Lord and ask for mercy. He will restore us. He will wash us clean with the blood of Jesus.

We don't need to clean ourselves up before we come to God. We need to come to God to GET clean. We need to lay it all before Him, and allow Him to do the work in us. And He will. He is faithful!

Let your prayer be today... "Lord, here's my heart!"