Broken and Yielded

Daily Scripture Threshing for Today, Friday, September 19, 2025

Today's Text: Psalm 51:15-19

Key Verse: Psalm 51:17 (NLT): "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."

Recently, God has used different analogies of a potter and the clay to illustrate deep spiritual lessons for our meditation. No porter working with clay shape a hard dry clay. None. Hard clays are unyielding lumps. It has to be soft and pliable to be molded into something beautiful. In a similar way, God desires a heart that isn't hardened by pride or self-will, but one that is broken and humble, ready to be shaped by His hands. This is the essence of a "broken spirit" that Psalm 51:17 talks about. It's an inner transformation, a realization of our own failings, and a turning toward God's grace. This analogy highlights the idea that God values a humble heart that is willing to be shaped and transformed, much like a potter needs soft clay to work with.

God doesn't desire grand rituals or costly outward offerings as much as He desires a heart that is truly repentant and sorrowful for sin. The verse emphasizes that an internal disposition of humility and remorse is more valuable to Him than any external religious ritual. This "broken and contrite heart" is one that acknowledges its own failings and is open to God's cleansing and guidance.

It's a true turning point, as it shows a genuine sorrow for one's sins and a desire for reconciliation with God, just as King David experienced in the context of this Psalm. God will not despise this kind of heart; instead, He receives and values it. The concept shifts our focus from rituals to the heart, emphasizing that sincere faith and a repentant spirit are the foundation of a right relationship with God. The text before us today encourages us to depend on His grace rather than our own righteousness.

Action Steps: Take time for self-reflection and humbly acknowledge any areas where you have fallen short. Confess your sins to God with a sincere and repentant heart, asking for His forgiveness and cleansing. Instead of relying on your own strength, ask God to give you a humble spirit and a heart that is truly dependent on Him.

Quote for the Day: "A broken spirit is a vessel emptied of self-pride, ready to be filled with God's grace and purpose." (Simon Olatunji #quotablequote)

Let Us Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for not despising a broken and contrite heart. Help me to humble myself before You and to genuinely repent of my sins. Create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me. I pray that my life will be a living sacrifice, pleasing to You — in Jesus's most glorious name. Amen.

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Thank you for being part of this journey. For additional reading on today's meditation, read: Isaiah 57:15, Micah 6:6-8, and James 4:6.

With all my love and prayers,

Rev Simon Wale Olatunji, Ph.D.

Your Darling Bishop (DaBishop)

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