Psalm 34: 17 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
Psalm 51: 16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Once upon a time there was a girl who somehow grew up believing that her worth depended in part upon finding someone who would love her. She prayed that God would send her that perfect husband who would forever stand beside her. In her mixed up and confused theology she believed that if she worked hard enough and tried harder to please God, the proof of her having won God’s favor was that he would grant her this one wish. Her path led her down many roads that led to her only having a broken heart. She found the one she loved so dearly and withstood whatever hardships the marriage brought to win her husband’s love and when that had finally happened, he died and she was left broken. At times she compromised God’s laws and so easily excused it in the name of love and believing perhaps that was the best that God had for her and that she would never be good enough for more. One day she cried out to God. "Why Lord if I love you, do you keep breaking my heart? Then there in that moment she realized, that it was not God breaking her heart; rather, she was breaking God’s heart. Christ wept every time she believed He was not enough. He had been there to shower His love upon her every step of the way. Much like Christ when he went to raise Lazarus from the dead. He had come with the greatest gift, He was overwhelmed with excitement at the miracle that He was about to perform. Yet, when He arrived, all were mourning and none believed He was enough. When He asked, "Do you believe, I am the resurrection of life?"; they mumbled theology with a sad countenance, Oh, yes we know that one day you will resurrect; but where were you when my brother died. Then Christ wept. That girl was me. The miraculous thing was that the moment I realized the fact that it had been I breaking God’s heart and not He breaking mine; my life changed. For the first time, I really began to understand just how tremendously God does love me and that He is more than enough. That was what led me to write the book "A Broken and Contrite Heart". When I laid all my sins, my failures, my guilt, and my moments of faithlessness at His feet; His answer was "I love you." When I had come to the end of my trying to work so hard to please Him and to earn His love, I began to learn how to let Him live in and through me. He never needed me to earn His love, He loved me just as I was. Through His love He was transforming me into the Princess He knew I could be if I only learned how to Abide in Him.
So, why do I tell you this story? Because everyday I meet people who are hurting? I see people struggling to find their way. I see people with broken hearts searching for love in all the wrong places. I see Christians who are carrying huge burdens of guilt that weigh them down. Christ is standing there with open arms of love to heal them and to deliver them.
A TALK WITH GOD
Oh, let me Lord delight in You
And lay all else I hold aside
For no desire could mean as much
As hear Your voice, to feel your touch
And in Your arms abide
I feel the safety of your arms
Surrounding me throughout each storm
And when the bitter winter wind
Would bid my very spirit bend
Your breath will keep me warm
Forgive me Lord, this fragile heart
Sometimes desires too much
Forgetting You are all I need
Then comes my tears, my plead
To stop and feel Your touch
I then can hear your gentle laugh
The love within Your voice
“My child I love you evermore
My gifts on you I freely pour
The best for you my choice”
Oh, Lord I want to stay right here
And sit here at Your feet
To never step away from You
And then I cannot lose my view
No chance for fear, defeat
“But child I ask then who would go
To tell the wounded broken heart
That I their lonely heart would mend
If not but you, who can I send
If you refuse to start”
Then Father, Dear, I must say yes
To go and run Your bidding do
And You will cast aside my fears
Your hand will wipe away my tears
And keep my eyes on You
I know that You go with me now
You’re ever present in my heart
I feel Your joy arise within
I feel Your wondrous strength again
Your love will ne’er depart