Daily Devotional
Do You Break God's Heart?
“Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight.”
Psalm 51:4
August 9, 2020
Ponder This
Two kinds of wounds can come to the human psyche: guilt and sorrow. I was talking with a precious member of our church whose husband had died. Her heart was wounded by sorrow but not guilt. Sorrow, you see, is a clean wound. Though it’s deep and raw, a clean wound will heal. But guilt is a dirty wound. It festers. It soils the soul, saturates the mind, and stings the conscience. It will never heal until it is cleansed.
David’s great sin was the latter kind—the one that soils the soul. When David committed adultery with Bathsheba, he cried out against the sin, knowing the had done evil before a holy God. You see, David had not only sinned against Uriah, Bathsheba, and his own family, but his sin was an affront to a Holy God who loved him and had redeemed him.
With a guilt-laden conscience, David wrote Psalm 51, crying out for cleansing.
If all you're afraid of is punishment for your sin, I doubt you've been saved. A child of God weeps not primarily because of punishment, but because they’ve disgraced God. “Not only did I break Your law, Father. I broke Your heart.” That's the difference between a slave and a son. A slave fears his master's whip. A son fears the father's displeasure.
Practice This
When we sin against God, we break His heart, and that should break ours. Are you willing to truly repent? Pray this prayer: “Lord, may my heart rejoice with those things that gladden Your heart, and Lord, may my heart be broken with that which breaks Your heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
