The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:17 ESV)

By: Scott Schuler

God tells us to plow up the hardness of our heart (Hosea 10:12) by opening our heart to Jesus and by seeking him with our entire being. What is the result—the yield—of our commitment? When you and I pursue Jesus with tenacity and perseverance, God responds by pouring his righteousness on, in, and through us.

To be righteous is to be morally right. Who can live up to such a high standard? Maybe judges or clergy? The Bible declares emphatically, “None is righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10).

No human is righteous.

You and I still battle sin even after we’ve given our hearts to Jesus. How, then, can we ever experience freedom from sin if we are not “righteous”?

Righteousness defines Jesus, the Son of God. He is holy—without sin.

He embodies the message of grace and mercy. He is the ultimate example of moral rightness and justice. Jesus, therefore, is the only one who can redeem us from our sins. He is the island of justice in the ocean of our chaotic culture.

Through our relationship with Jesus, we receive his gifts of grace and mercy.

Grace is tenderness and kindness, which we do not deserve. God gives grace as a gift with no strings attached. His generous grace frees us from the penalty of sin (death) and offers the ultimate gift of eternity (life) with God.

Mercy is God’s compassion and favor because he knows we are only human. At its core, mercy is forgiveness. He shows us mercy by blessing and forgiving us and leading us to a better way to live.

We categorize sins.

We consider some bad, but others are horrific. For example, we may consider murder a horrendous sin, but lying a mistake or minor sin. In God’s eyes, sin is sin.

King David committed adultery, followed by premeditated murder. David’s failure was horrendous. His poor choices and evil actions brought this strong and mighty man of God to one of the lowest points of his life. As rich and as powerful as David was, all he could offer God was remorse. In Psalm 51, David repents, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (v. 17). He approached God with a heart that was contrite, which means “remorseful” and “in a state of repentance.”

All sin separates us from God, which is why he wants us to come to him as David did—with a repentant, humbled heart. We cannot earn grace or mercy. We can only experience these gifts with Jesus, as he covers us in his righteousness.

Are you coming to God with a humbled heart, or is pride keeping you from experiencing his grace and mercy?

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