WHAT DOES GOD WANT FROM US ?

King David came to realize that brokenness and contrition are acceptable in His sight ... 

For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart - these, O God, You will not despise. (Psalm 51:16-17)

A broken heart - Crushed by the knowledge of our undone state, we mourn over the ashes of a sin-laden life. Placing this utter brokenness on the altar allows a sweet fragrance to loft into God's nostrils. 

A contrite heart - The 'white flag' of surrender is raised: "I repent. Here am I. Do what you wish with my life. Mold me, make me, or break me into that which You want me to be" ... The Lord delights in that offering. 

Sadly, many of today's churches consider their arbitrary acts of worship enough to appease a holy God. Jesus delivered a powerful teaching concerning offerings steeped in self-righteousness ... 

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men - extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 

And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 18:10-14)

Two prayers ... two attitudes. 

Spurgeon - Let us seek after the like brokenness of heart; for however excellent our words may be, if our heart is not conscious of the hell-deservingness of sin, we cannot expect to find forgiveness.

Don't complicate what it means to be Christian. Jesus fulfilled everything on our behalf. He is the only acceptable sacrifice ... the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)

With a broken and contrite heart, approach the throne of grace through Him.