Create in me...

"Create in me a clean heart, O God;

And renew a right spirit within me"

(Psalm 51:10)

What an amazing prayer that Kind David uttered to God when pleading for forgiveness, cleansing and restoration of fellowship with Him. What an amazing and pertinent prayer this should be on the lips of every Christian! 

The word create in this passage is the Hebrew word 'bara' which means 'to create or to make'. But the beautiful thing about the word is that this verb is of profound theological significance. Truly the word 'bara' is a verb that only has God as its subject. It expresses creation out of nothing as we see first in Genesis 1:1. 

So, as we encounter this word in this Psalm of David, we must understand that David knew that the work on his heart which was needed and desired could only be accomplished by His God. Our hearts need a touch by our heavenly Father. God and only God can create in us that clean heart with forgiveness and cleansing and restoration. May this prayer be on our lips and in our hearts every day of our lives. 

early morning

"Before the ear perceives the countless voices of the day, it must listen in the early morning to the voice of the Creator and Redeemer. God has prepared the stillness of the earliest morning for Himself. It must belong to Him" (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

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My eyes open in the early hours of the morning and deep in my spirit these words are heard,

"Rise, my sweet child"

I hear His whisper down deep in my spirit and at first my flesh rebels. But the yearning inside for obedience to the bidding of my Father wins out. I throw back the covers and immediately feel the chill in the air and briefly contemplate crawling back in my bed. My flesh craves the warmth of the cocoon I had just emerged from but a fierce longing arises deep in my soul for the intimate moments with my God that I know is coming.

These quiet times in the dark when all around me is still are the times that I can hear His voice clearly. These sweet moments when it feels like God and I are the only ones awake. It's just me and my LORD. Communing together. Growing in relationship. Sharing the earliest hours of the day with my Creator and my God.

As I sit and open the Word, I get a slight chill in my body as the power of what lies before me overtakes my spirit.  

The Word of God. 

Holy-Spirit inspired.

               God-breathed.

                             Infallible.

                                            Inerrant.

The WORD.... etched by God's finger through the obedience of men.

Did those men rise, too, in the early morning darkness? Did God's Holy whisper descend to their hearts with an unmistakable sound? Did they hear His Voice and respond without delay?

Oh, how I desire to be obedient in all things. How I desire to be still before Christ and anticipate His Presence!

Acknowledging His Sovereignty,

Praising His Majesty,

Reveling in the sheer wonder of who He is and the power of His whisper.

Surrendered.... submitted.... unhindered....

Discerning and available and ready to be used. Purposed and passionate about serving my God wherever He leads. Give me ears to hear, Oh God!

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"But now, O LORD, thou art our Father; we are the clay, 

and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand" (Isaiah 64:8)