I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts. Isaiah 66:2
In his book of meditations, Tim LaHaye wrote the following words:
“DO YOU HAVE anything in your house that’s stolen? Do you have a twinge of guilt that passes through your heart when you think back to a time when you took something that wasn’t yours or said something that wasn’t true? Ever cheated on your taxes? Ever padded your time sheet at work? Ever lied to your boss? your mom? your wife? If so, ever wonder why it still bothers you?
You can be sure that you’re not alone. In fact, guilt is such a widespread problem that the U.S. government has had to set up a “Conscience Fund” as part of its revenue system. This is a fund for all the money that comes in unexpectedly from anonymous, guilt-ridden Americans. Figures show that an average of $45,000 per year is received and deposited into the Conscience Fund, most of it in increments of one to ten dollars.” (Embracing Eternity, p. 152)
I believe the Conscience Fund is a good place for people who have wronged the government or the United States to send a check to make amends. In fact, I believe there should be a way for all of us to make amends in one way or another. That is why in most churches, there is a Prayer of Confession as part of the worship service. It gives each of us a chance to make things right with God, offer a confession, and look for forgiveness.
God views confession and a good conscience in positive light. Our scripture for today bears witness to this fact. God explained to Isaiah the prophet following the fall of Jerusalem and subsequent years of difficulty that he would “bless those who have humble and contrite hearts” (Isaiah 66:2). When God spoke these words, the people of Israel and Judah were recovering from years of sin and punishment. Their sin had caused God to send the armies of Assyria and Babylon to cleanse the land. After forty years, God ended their suffering by bringing a remnant of the people back to Jerusalem and Judah. There, God wanted to begin a new relationship with the Chosen People (Isaiah 40:1-2). Part of this new relationship would involve God’s people being more humble, honoring God, and submitting to God’s law. God desired the people to have “contrite hearts” that were willing to admit mistakes and renounce sins. For a while, the people devoted themselves faithfully to this new relationship.
If you read the scripture following Isaiah 66:2 in the Bible, it is clear that God would not accept a faithful person without a contrite heart. In fact, God promised in Isaiah 66:3-4 that if the people went back to their sinful ways, God was going to give them a life of affliction. God would not ease their burden. According to God, a contrite heart deserves blessing. An evildoer deserves only afflictions.
One of the greatest sins of the Bible is pridefulness. It is a sin that is found alongside other sins such as murder, hate, and stealing. God does not have good things to say about pridefulness, even calling it an abomination and something to be hated. I write these words during “pride month”, a month in the world that celebrates sexual sins in a prideful way with “pride parades” and “pride flags”.
For God, pridefulness is not something to celebrate. It is something wrong with humanity. In our scriptures, over and over God blesses humility and a contrite heart. Over and over God condemns pridefulness and arrogance (see Proverbs 8:13 for example). God saw pridefulness as one of the character flaws that even doomed Satan (see Isaiah 14:13).
Do you have a contrite heart? Are you willing to confess your sin quickly and open yourself up to the grace of God? Has pride clouded your view of yourself? Have you made an effort to right the wrongs that you’ve done? Pride goeth before destruction! (Proverbs 16:18). If you want God to bless your life, you need to be contrite before HIM!
“DO YOU HAVE anything in your house that’s stolen? Do you have a twinge of guilt that passes through your heart when you think back to a time when you took something that wasn’t yours or said something that wasn’t true? Ever cheated on your taxes? Ever padded your time sheet at work? Ever lied to your boss? your mom? your wife? If so, ever wonder why it still bothers you?
You can be sure that you’re not alone. In fact, guilt is such a widespread problem that the U.S. government has had to set up a “Conscience Fund” as part of its revenue system. This is a fund for all the money that comes in unexpectedly from anonymous, guilt-ridden Americans. Figures show that an average of $45,000 per year is received and deposited into the Conscience Fund, most of it in increments of one to ten dollars.” (Embracing Eternity, p. 152)
I believe the Conscience Fund is a good place for people who have wronged the government or the United States to send a check to make amends. In fact, I believe there should be a way for all of us to make amends in one way or another. That is why in most churches, there is a Prayer of Confession as part of the worship service. It gives each of us a chance to make things right with God, offer a confession, and look for forgiveness.
God views confession and a good conscience in positive light. Our scripture for today bears witness to this fact. God explained to Isaiah the prophet following the fall of Jerusalem and subsequent years of difficulty that he would “bless those who have humble and contrite hearts” (Isaiah 66:2). When God spoke these words, the people of Israel and Judah were recovering from years of sin and punishment. Their sin had caused God to send the armies of Assyria and Babylon to cleanse the land. After forty years, God ended their suffering by bringing a remnant of the people back to Jerusalem and Judah. There, God wanted to begin a new relationship with the Chosen People (Isaiah 40:1-2). Part of this new relationship would involve God’s people being more humble, honoring God, and submitting to God’s law. God desired the people to have “contrite hearts” that were willing to admit mistakes and renounce sins. For a while, the people devoted themselves faithfully to this new relationship.
If you read the scripture following Isaiah 66:2 in the Bible, it is clear that God would not accept a faithful person without a contrite heart. In fact, God promised in Isaiah 66:3-4 that if the people went back to their sinful ways, God was going to give them a life of affliction. God would not ease their burden. According to God, a contrite heart deserves blessing. An evildoer deserves only afflictions.
One of the greatest sins of the Bible is pridefulness. It is a sin that is found alongside other sins such as murder, hate, and stealing. God does not have good things to say about pridefulness, even calling it an abomination and something to be hated. I write these words during “pride month”, a month in the world that celebrates sexual sins in a prideful way with “pride parades” and “pride flags”.
For God, pridefulness is not something to celebrate. It is something wrong with humanity. In our scriptures, over and over God blesses humility and a contrite heart. Over and over God condemns pridefulness and arrogance (see Proverbs 8:13 for example). God saw pridefulness as one of the character flaws that even doomed Satan (see Isaiah 14:13).
Do you have a contrite heart? Are you willing to confess your sin quickly and open yourself up to the grace of God? Has pride clouded your view of yourself? Have you made an effort to right the wrongs that you’ve done? Pride goeth before destruction! (Proverbs 16:18). If you want God to bless your life, you need to be contrite before HIM!