A HUMBLE AND CONTRITE HEART

 

A HUMBLE AND CONTRITE HEART

Is. 66:2b “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.” NLT

A humble heart is one who knows who he is without Christ and who he is in Christ. He understands that without Christ he made a real mess of his life and was not able to be good enough to ever please or be accepted by God. He understands that without Christ he was bound for hell and deserved it. He understands that he owes his salvation to Christ alone and has no hope or help from God apart from Him. A humble heart is a grateful heart for all the workings of God in him to make him holy.

A contrite heart is a broken heart over sin. He knows that he has sinned against God and is truly sorry because of it. He knows that he has no one but himself to blame for his sin. He knows he has no righteousness apart from Christ and comes to Him for it. A contrite heart is one who determines in his heart that he will do better, that he will with Christ’s help, go and sin no more.

One who trembles at God’s Word understands that the Word of God is absolute, that it is God’s final and only standard for living. He understands that God’s standards are so much higher than anything that he can achieve on his own. He understands that he falls so far short of God’s standards and must constantly examine his heart in light of it. He understands that he must conform himself to what God says, no matter how difficult it may be for him to do so. He understands that God says what He means and means exactly what He says. He regards God as one to be highly respected and revered because He is God.

God promises that He blesses those who have humble and contrite hearts who regard His Word with the highest of respect and seek to conform his ways to it. God blesses those who regard Him as the one who holds eternal life in His hand and judges the soul according to how he responds to Him and His Word. God’s blessings are on those who know that their salvation is serious business and live accordingly.

God blesses those who are humble in heart, broken in spirit and have a high regard and respect for His Word.