God really just wants our hearts.

This is the bottom line for His people. He just wants our hearts to be soft and tender toward Him, and toward each other. That sounds very simple. But, it's well... hard, sometimes.

I'm reading this book a friend of mine gave me by Warren Wiersbe called Real Worship. Awesome book , by the way. It's one of those books where I read one or two paragraphs and I am so gripped and overwhelmed by the truth and love of God that I have to take a deep breath and put it aside to meditate on what I just read. I LOVE books like that. Every other sentence literally envelopes me in the presence of God, and I am captivated with that thought for the rest of the day.
The theme lately that God is teaching me about is the importance of prayer, and how having a hard heart means that God isn't going to "hear" praise or worship if that is the case. Of course He can HEAR it- but He won't acknowledge prayers lifted like that. Ps 6: 18 says " If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear." Huh? You mean I can be choosing to worship and praise God with my body , making a "choice" to be obedient, serve, and seem joyful.. but if I am haboring sin in my heart, God "won't hear" me? Yep, 'zackly, Byron. Mr. Wiersbe explains it this way, " If the worshiper has not come to God with clean hands and a pure heart, all worship and praise is futile." FUTILE. Won't do any good at all. Wow? I can hardly bear the thought of that!! In fact, it makes me so sad that tears come to my eyes.

My first thought is " ACK!! No thanks, how can I recognize this and get rid of it?!?" , Well, Mr. W has some thoughts on what a "hard heart" ends up looking like. Want to know? I did.
- An unwillingness to admit and confess sin
-A bitter spirit toward another believer
- An unwillingness to FORGIVE
-A resistance to the Word of God
-An inflexible attitude that won't be taught or changed ( or that says " I can't change that, it's how I am)
-Always insisting that our way is the only RIGHT way to do things
- A refusal to let people get "too close"
- self-protection, and a spirit of offense
- Being preoccupied with ourselves, what we want
- being overly sensitive and touchy

The list went on .... but by this point I had to put the book down and tears came to my eyes. How many times have I harbored one or more of these in my heart? And not just one at a time, but more than one??? My heart belongs to GOD.... and He can't be near any of that sin. It has to go, in order for me to be near HIM.

The flip side to this ( for which I am so thankful) that the Lord will hear and bless those who come before Him broken and humble, with a contrite spirit. ( Ps 34: 18, and Isaiah 6: 1, 2).

If I need to be near to God's heart, which I do- I am desperate to be in fellowship with Him every moment of every day!! If this is true..... then my heart must be cleansed and pure with broken humility, asking forgiveness- then, and only then- will my praises and prayers be heard.

'Cause He loves us like that.

Be broken, and be blessed-
Cheryl