Sincere Heart

[Ang4him]

Hebrews  10 :22

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

This verse tells us not only to draw near to God, but to do so with a sincere heart.  I want to draw near to God, but how sincere is my heart?  In the past I would have said, "yes, definitely!" but anymore I in all honesty say that. 

It is not because I have changed, as if I had a sincere heart at one time but no longer do.  Instead it is that I have started to see myself and my motives more clearly recently.  I've come to see how much selfishness I have in my heart and how much I still cling to the things of this world - material things, worldly thinking and reasoning, worldly desires, the praises of men.

So then the question becomes, if I say I want to draw close to God - what is my reason?  If I don't have a sincere heart then is it because I want something from Him?  I'm still seeing Him as a genie in a bottle who will perform as I desire if I just learn the correct way to appease Him?

Lord,  Please transform my heart.  Cleanse me of the things of this world which in my weakness I continue to grasp.  Soften my heart that I may draw near to You.

 

Create in me a pure heart, O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from your presence

or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation

and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.

(Psalm 51:10-12)

 

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;

you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart, O God,

you will not despise.

(Psalm 51:17