“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me…My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.”
Psalm 51: 10, 17
How do you change a heart? It’s one thing to have the idea that you should change. It’s also important to make plans to make it happen. But, you can’t just sit in the thought and spend forever making plans. It takes action. Any work towards greater intimacy with the Lord, requires action on our part. We must move forward.
So, what does that mean? During Lent, we are called to deny ourselves with active self sacrifice. We are called to fast. I’d like to add a layer to this. Fasting from whatever we have chosen is all well and good, but we need to be aware of our motive behind it.
In Isaiah today, we hear what God wants and what he is calling us to do. He is telling the Israelite people that they may be offering sacrifices with sack cloth and ashes, but, that it comes from a place of manipulation. If we do these things, God will give us what we deserve.
Woah, when I read that, I think, “Seriously, these Israelites are always acting this way. When will they learn?” And then I remember, “Oh yea, I have to catch this tendency in my own heart.”
When I hear what God really wants: “Releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke;…” (Isaiah 58:6), I have to step back and think. Is what I’m sacrificing helping me be free of the things that bind me? Am I letting go of something that holds others in bondage by my actions?
Practically speaking, am I letting go of something minor, that doesn’t affect me deeply, or am I doing something that will have a real impact? Is this sacrifice really hurting me? Will the practice of denying myself in this way result in freedom later? Will it give me more time to grow in intimacy with the Lord? To be more like Mary? That’s a lot of questions? But that’s ok. I have 40 days to work on getting this right. I have time to ponder.
The amazing thing that happens when we get our attitude right in regards to our Lenten sacrifices is that we help Him create a new heart within us. We will gain a contrite spirit. And He will come to meet us. He will say, “Here I am!” (Isaiah 58: 9) Isn’t it funny that the people in Isaiah’s time wanted God to reward them for their sacrifices, but He IS ready to that, when the self gift is given in the right spirit? Then He will bless and bring glory.
What do you think about this? How can we take action and keep our hearts in the right place this Lent?
XOXO,
Barb
Isaiah 58:1-9, Psalm 51, Matthew 9:14-15 Friday’s Readings
Reflections of a Cute Lil Mom 