Psalm 51:17 says, "My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart You, God, will not despise." This verse fills the heart with such hope. There is something powerful in knowing that throughout Scripture, throughout the generations, and even to this present day, God has never turned away a broken contrite heart.

We can look at the world around us and see so much suffering, uncertainty, and brokenness. There are wars and rumors of wars, pain in families, struggles in communities, and circumstances that can seem overwhelming. We could go on and on. Yet in the midst of it all, God has given us hope. Even in the hardest circumstances, He will not turn away the one who humbles himself and sincerely draws near to Him.

So, what is a broken contrite heart? It is a heart that has been touched by God—a heart that begins to grieve over our sin against Him and even over the sin and brokenness we see in the world around us. As God works in us, we begin to understand more deeply who He is and all that He has done for us. This is our great God, who loved us so much that He gave His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, so that we could have life, come under His Lordship, and walk in His power. Everything we have comes from Him.

And yet mankind has rejected Him in so many ways because of the stubbornness of the human heart. Still, God speaks a word of hope to us today: He has not turned away the broken and contrite heart. Whatever we may be facing personally, whatever circumstances surround us, or even when our hearts are simply burdened by what we see happening in the world, there is a place of hope found in drawing near to God.

We can pray, "Lord, touch my heart. Let my heart break for what breaks Yours. Let me see my own sin clearly and turn from it. Let my heart break over the sin of the world around me. Draw me closer to You than I have ever been before."

Will we receive this hope today? God does not despise the broken and contrite heart. May we allow the Holy Spirit to search us, humble us, and draw us into a deeper relationship with Him. May we learn to live in the brokenness, humility, and surrender He calls us to - not as a place of defeat, but as a place of victory. 

There is victory in humbling ourselves before God. 

There is power when our hearts break for the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus and for the things that matter to Him.

Why? Because when we come before Him surrendered and humble, He meets us there. He lifts us up. He draws us near. He brings us into His presence and gives us everything we need to accomplish what He is calling us to do.

So today, may we come before Him with open hearts. May we surrender ourselves fully to Him. May we seek His presence, listen for His voice, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into a deeper walk with Jesus.