Just as a farmer must break up the hard ground before planting, our hearts must be prepared before the Holy Spirit of God can do a work in us. The term “broken heart” is often used in literature to describe unrequited love. In actuality, a broken heart is absolutely necessary to acknowledge the sin of pride in our lives and humble ourselves in order that we might receive Love. God has already made atonement for our transgressions, but without our understanding that we are literally dead in our sin, much like the farmer’s fallow field, we have no hope for new life.
“A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:17
Why does God love a broken and contrite heart? Because it is a field fit for planting. A hard heart nullifies the cross of Christ and putrifies the powerful promises of God. This is the same stuff that brought a holy angel of God to be wholly wicked. It took a “good” creation and made it bad. It caused the first woman to desire to rule over her husband, and every woman after her. Call it what you want. I call it pride.
Pride leads us into believing the lies of Satan. It brought him down from his lofty position of servitude to God. He was not content with the place of honor that God had given him. He wanted more. This is where we come in. God created a “good” world. But because of the disobedience of Eve and, ultimately, Adam, sin was brought into the world and made it evil. Sin is a sickness leading to death. Not simply death of the body, but an eternal death. Pride is at the root of all sin. The same pride that brought down Satan also deceived Eve into thinking she could be like God. Had she even considered that all her needs were met and that she lived in a perfect world? She then persuaded her husband to follow. In their disobedience, they discovered that they were naked, their sickness exposed. The only way sin could be forgiven was through blood sacrifice, so God killed animals to cover Adam and Eve and their sin. This is the first death. Many rams, sheep and birds were offered upon the altar, thereafter, but none could atone for all the sins of mankind. The offerings fell short, until God himself came to the world as a man and paid the penalty of sin.
Without a broken heart, we are unable to see our sin for what it really is. It is the very thing that keeps us out of communion with our Creator. When we understand the truth about our filthy hearts, we can appreciate the grace by which God came to save us. He chose to die that we might obtain the free gift of eternal salvation and glory and communion with Him!
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