Kansas City, Missouri,
Untied States - Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - “Vulnerable Humility” – Wednesday,
2 April 2014 - Scripture: Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a right spirit within me.
11 Don’t throw me from
your presence,
and don’t take your holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy
of your salvation.
Uphold me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach
transgressors your ways.
Sinners shall be converted to you.
14 Deliver me from the
guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation.
My tongue shall sing aloud of your
righteousness.
15 Lord, open my lips.
My mouth shall declare your praise.
16 For you don’t delight
in sacrifice, or else I would give it.
You have no pleasure in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God
are a broken spirit.
A broken and contrite heart, O God, you
will not despise.
18 Do well in your good
pleasure to Zion.
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will delight
in the sacrifices of righteousness,
in
burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings.
Then they will offer
bulls on your altar.
“Humility” by Kevin G.
Smith
“Vulnerable Judgment” is
a word we try to avoid.
If we see God as Judge,
as well as love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, long-suffering and faithful, we
learn something of the nature of the type of demeanor with which we can
approach Him. He is not interested in meaningless sacrifices, however fitting
they may appear to be. He is not moved by thoughtless attempts to “get in good”
with God. No, He asks for us to open ourselves to His clear gaze.
We often journey through
life telling everyone and being told by everyone that we are “fine.” How odd
that there is so much hurt and pain in a world where everyone and everything is
“fine”! When we become aware of the area in our life needing God’s mercy, and
that might just be every area, God does not desire for us to approach Him with
‘everything-is-just-fine’ bravado.
“It is a fearful thing
to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31, ESV). Our sin
separates us from God; His compassionate hands seek to draw us back to Himself.
It is a vulnerable place to be held. Nonetheless, there is no safer place to be
when our brokenness is unbearable and healing is needed.
Hymn for Today:
“Cleanse Me” by J. Edwin
Orr
1. Search me, O God, and
know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior, know
my thoughts, I pray:
See if there be some
wicked way in me:
Cleanse me from ev'ry
sin, and set me free.
2. I Praise Thee Lord.
for cleansing me from sin:
Fulfill Thy Word, and
make me pure within;
Fill me with fire, where
once I burned with shame:
Grant my desire to
magnify Thy name.
3. Lord, take my life,
and make it wholly Thine:
Fill my poor heart with
Thy great love divine;
Take all my will, my
passion, self and pride;
I now surrender: Lord in
me abide.
4. O Holy Ghost, revival
comes from Thee:
Send a revival start the
work in me:
Thy Word declares Thou
wilt supply our need:
For blessing now, O
Lord, I humbly plead.
Thought for Today:
“Those who humble
themselves before God rejoice because they are surrounded by His constant love”
(Jim Edlin and Janelle Mackay).
Prayer Needs:
Many people in Samoa
will come to know Jesus the Christ (Yeshua the Messiah) and receive the
fullness of the Holy Spirit.
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Company
Beacon Hill Press
Nazarene Publishing Company
2500 Troost Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64108
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Embrace holy
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