Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

The Joy Of A Broken HeartRev. RobertPastor of MarionSomething doesn't sound right about that title. Abroken heart suggests pain, sorrow, and hurt, not joy. Wewant joy. We like to feel joy, but we don't like to feel abroken heart. We try to avoid unpleasant things, and abroken heart has the sound of unpleasantness. Yet theBible says in Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are abroken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thouwilt not despise." Does that mean that God wants us tohave broken hearts? Yes it does, because only through a'broken heart' can we find fullness of joy. It's a paradox,but it's true.David knew what he was talking about when hewrote these words, because he had been through it. Davidwas a good man, but in a moment of weakness he fell intogreat sin. His sin compounded as he tried to cover it up.David knew the problem and irritation of a guilty conscience.It hung like a dull grey cloud over his life for awhole year as these sins lay hidden within his own heart.We know the feeling, because we're like David ourselves.We know the right way but we often fall before temptation,and then covering our sins, our world turnsgrey, and we exist from day to day in a lack-luster kind oflife. In that state, real joy is impossible. David, by God'sgrace, found the answer, and he reveals that answer in the51st Psalm. It can be summarized in three words: Hurt,Healed, Happy.HURTThat David was bothered by his sins is evident fromseveral Scriptures, but he didn't really hurt enough to doanything about it. His conscience spoke to him about hissins, butit wasn't such a problem that he couldn't live withit. And he did live with it. So God sent Nathan the prophetto aggravate the problem, and to increase the pressure onDavid's conscience. Nathan prepared his little story todeliberately hit David where it hurt. He pointed out agrievous sin, and then said, "Thou art the man." And it didhurt. David saw that his sins had been a "slap in the face"to God, the God whom he claimed to honor. As therealization of this swept over him, it broke his heart."Against Thee, Thee only have I sinned, and done this evilin Thy sight." (V. 4). He was hurting.To experience that kind of hurt is not pleasant, butit's the only road to cleansing. The surgeon may have tocut deep to remove the diseased portion, but it's the onlyway to restore to good health. No pastor likes to hurt hispeople by exposing sin for what it is, but to leave sin thereis even worse. The Apostle Paul "hurt" the Corinthians inhis first letter to them. And later he writes: (II Cor. 7) "Foralthough my letter had hurt you I don't regret it now ( as Idid, I must confess, at one time). I can see that the letterMcCrackenIowa R.P. Chruchdid upset you, though only for a time, and now I am glad Isent it, not because I want to hurt you but because it madeyou grieve for things that were wrong."(Phillips).Sin is serious business and we need to grieve over it.We need to come under deep conviction. The more wehurt over sin, the greater will be the joy when true healingand forgiveness come through Christ.HEALEDWhen our sins are exposed, and we truly hurt overthem, then we will cry out to God as David did; "Washme," "Cleanse me," Deliver me. . . ." Here is the spirit oftrue repentance. When there is a grief and hatred of oursins, then there will be a turning from them unto God.And herein lies healing. Christ said, "Him that cometh toMe, I will in no wise cast out." "When we confess our sins,He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanseus from all unrighteousness." Here is relief! The burden isimmediately lifted; the hurt is gone. What a change takesplace. I've known people whose appearance changed. Thelines in their face soften, the eyes brighten, the bodystraightens, tense muscles relax. Their life has a new poise.Sin is the trouble-maker in all our affairs, and whatever ittakes to be rid of sin, even though it may hurt in theprocess, is good, and it brings healing and happiness.Now let us make clear that it is not just sorrow orrepentance alone that brings healing, nor is it even theconfession of sin. Healing comes from Jesus Christ, andfrom Him alone. Without His atoning death on the Cross,there could be no healing. He took the guilt on Himself,and therefore He can lift that burden from us. The hurtwill bring us to Him, but He alone can heal.In the story of Pilgrim 's Progress, the burden wasnot removed from Pilgrim's back until he came up to theCross. Then the burden loosed from off his shoulders, itfell from off his back, it tumbled into the mouth of thesepulcher, and he saw it no more. Then, Bunyan continues,"Christian was glad and lightsome, and said with amerry heart, 'He hath given me rest by His sorrow, andlife by His death'."HAPPYHealing brings happiness. David had not been ablereally to laugh for a whole year, but finally when he admittedhis guilt, and the whole thing came pouring out, hisjoy returned. It is here that our title makes sense: The Joyof a Broken Heart. When the sin that breaks our hearts isconfessed and forgiven, happiness sweeps over us like aflood. Some of the kids that are finding Christ afterseeking escape through other things like drugs, tell us thatforgiveness in Christ is the "greatest high in the world."They know finally what real joy is.See Page 16J UNE 23, 1971 5