In anticipation of our Lord’s Supper service tonight, here’s a meditation from Paul Tripp:<\/p>\n
\n“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51: 17).<\/p>\n
God doesn’t want you to come to Him empty-handed.<\/p>\n
No, you can’t come to Him full of yourself,<\/p>\n
And you can’t come to Him based on your track record<\/p>\n
And you can’t use your performance as a recommendation.<\/p>\n
No, you can’t come to Him based on your family,<\/p>\n
Your personality,<\/p>\n
Your education,<\/p>\n
Your position in life,<\/p>\n
The successes you’ve had,<\/p>\n
The possessions you’ve accumulated,<\/p>\n
Or the human acceptance you’ve gained.<\/p>\n
But God requires you to come with your hands full.<\/p>\n
He requires you to bring to Him the sweetest of sacrifices,<\/p>\n
The sacrifice of words,<\/p>\n
He calls you to bring Hosea’s offering.<\/p>\n
“Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God.<\/p>\n
Your sins have been your downfall!<\/p>\n
Take words with you<\/p>\n
And return to the Lord.<\/p>\n
Say to Him<\/p>\n
“Forgive all our sins<\/p>\n
And receive us graciously,<\/p>\n
That we may offer our lips as the sacrifice of bulls.”<\/p>\n
God doesn’t want you to come to him empty-handed.<\/p>\n
He asks of you a sacrifice.<\/p>\n
Not a grain offering,<\/p>\n
Not a lamb or a bull.<\/p>\n
No, that requirement has been satisfied<\/p>\n
By the blood of the Lamb.<\/p>\n
Yet God asks of you a sacrifice<\/p>\n
It is the offering of words,<\/p>\n
Words of humility,<\/p>\n
Words of honesty,<\/p>\n
Words of moral courage,<\/p>\n
Words of moral candor,<\/p>\n
Words that could only be spoken,<\/p>\n
By one who rests in grace.<\/p>\n
Words of confession are what you must bring.<\/p>\n
Place words,<\/p>\n
Free of negotiation or excuse,<\/p>\n
On His altar of grace,<\/p>\n
And receive forgiveness and cleansing.<\/p>\n
Uncover your heart,<\/p>\n
Exposed by words, and say:<\/p>\n
“We will never again say, ‘Our gods’<\/p>\n
To what our own hands have made,<\/p>\n
For in You the fatherless find compassion.”<\/p>\n
What David willingly did He requires of you,<\/p>\n
Come with words,<\/p>\n
It is the way of grace,<\/p>\n
It is the way of freedom,<\/p>\n
It is the way to God.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n