Psalm 34:18
The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 7665 & 1793
Broken: to break, break in pieces, shattered
From the Hebrew word 'shabar' (pronounced shaw-bar')
Contrite: crushed
From the Hebrew word 'dakka'' (pronounced dak-kaw')
THE SPIRIT OF CONVICTION
It is not we ourselves who break our hearts for God, but the Spirit of God who breaks the hearts of the believer to receive the good things God has prepared to fill the broken hearted with. It is the Holy Spirit, after all, who convicts the heart of sin (John 16:8; 1 Thessalonians 1:5).
John 16:7-11 Jesus tells His disciples that He needs to go away and why:
7. But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
8. And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:
9. in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me;
10. in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see Me;
11. and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world has been condemned.
The Spirit of Conviction pricks the hearts of they who hear the Word (Acts 2:37). In order to be restored into a right relationship with God in Christ, we must take the next step after the Holy Spirit convicts our hearts to believe.
THE NEXT STEP: CALLED TO REPENTANCE
Repentance: I repent, I change my mind and think differently afterwards. (After what? after I believe.) Changed after being with God.
I repent. God forgives. Jesus Saves. The Holy Spirit restores.
Acts 2:38, 39
38. Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39. This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
WE ARE ALL CALLED TO SALVATION
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 6:40
For it is My Father's will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 11:25
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies."
THE PROMISE PROMISED
Isaiah 44:3
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and currents on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.
Joel 2:28, 32
28. And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
32. And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has promised, among the remnant called by the LORD.
THE GUARD
We need to guard our hearts which have been broken not only by God but for God. We need to remain so close to Him we can hear His whispers and He can hear our prayers. For the Lord hears the prayers of the righteous, the cries of the brokenhearted, the longing of the heart to be with Him.
How do we guard our hearts with this purpose in mind? Stay in His Word: Read it, Live it, Breathe It. Yes, it's a very hard thing to do, isn't it? But we who repent of our sins are forgiven by the forgiving God Who forgives sins. And when we have repented, the Spirit of God restores us to God.
It is a good way to end the day before falling asleep, for tomorrow is not guaranteed to us. it's better, do you not agree, to fall asleep knowing we are forgiven than to fall asleep in our sins? It is also a good way to begin our day. O Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner! The words spring from our hearts to our tongues and leap off of our lips into the ears of a hearing God.
We guard our brokenness, when we remain in a humble state of mind, remembering who we were before we believed in God's Christ for our salvation and how we came to be where we are now after receiving Christ and His Holy Spirit.
We guard our brokenness, when we remember that we are nothing without God. Nothing without His grace. Nothing without His mercy. Nothing without His lovingkindness. Nothing without His presence. Nothing. Nothing without His Christ. Nothing without His love.
We are maggots (Job 25:6). We are dust (Genesis 3:19). We are unclean (Isaiah 6:5). We are sinners (Luke 18:13). We need God. We need His Christ to save us: to wash away our sins. We need His Spirit to restore us to Him: make us holy and useful for His purpose.
Let us come near to God (begin to, and continue to, walk in His direction) and He will come near to us (see us coming and run to meet us). As in the parable of The Prodigal Son, which you may want to refresh yourselves with. (Luke 15:11-32)
