Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of images and lyrics from Chris McClarney singing … Beauty for Ashes … poignantly singing of the mercy granted by God to those who’re willing to confess with a contrite heart.
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Highlight Verse[s]: Psalm 51:17 [NKJV] …
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit, a broken and a contrite heart; … These, O God, You will not despise.
… God looks upon genuine, humble brokenness with His favor.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Psalm 51[NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… David’s contrite and humble song of confession, which saved and sanctified his life in the eyes of God.
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Reference Passage #1 [NKJV] : … Psalm 139: 23-24 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
…The Psalmist prays a humble prayer of brokenness … for God to cleanse him of any wickedness.
Reference Passage #2 [NKJV] : … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NKJV] …
22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; … great is Your faithfulness.
… Mercy and God’s saving grace for all who repent and believe in the Lordship of King Jesus.
Reference Passage #3 [NKJV] : … Matthew 5:3 [NKJV] …
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ..."
… Jesus teaches that God blesses those who have a broken and surrendered [i.e., “poor”] spirit.
Reference Passage #4 [NKJV] : … 1st John 1:9 [NKJV] …
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
… Truth about coming to God with a broken spirit to confess our sins and be cleansed.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, James Banks, uses the description of a type of pottery to illustrate God’s forgiving nature to those who come to Him with a truly contrite heart. The ODB author wrote: Kintsugi is a centuries-old Japanese art of mending broken pottery [see photo]. Gold dust mixed with resin is used to reattach broken pieces or fill in cracks, resulting in a striking bond. Instead of trying to hide the repair, the art makes something beautiful out of brokenness.
What a good picture of the love, mercy, and grace granted by God to the broken and contrite of spirit, … those who come to the Lord confessing and repenting of their brokenness. And as with the Kintsugi pottery, God fashions renewal and restoration of spirit for the humble and broken who come to Him, as did David after his surrender of the sins of adultery and murder to be healed. Yes, there truly is beauty in brokenness … as Chris McClarney sings in the linked song.
And as the weeping prophet wrote (see Lam. 3:22-23), God’s mercies are new every morning and faithfully doled out to any/all who humbly come to Lord confessing their brokenness (see Matt. 5:3 and 1st John 1:9).
So, I pray we recognize the beauty found in brokenness today and all days; and we’re humbly willing come to God’s throne of grace for His beautiful healing renewal.
My Prayer Today: Heavenly Father, … Lord, … Thank You for fashioning Your beautiful and strengthening grace into the crevices of my brokenness to make me stronger to serve You. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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