The Sacrifices of God

“THE SACRIFICES OF GOD are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17).

Another way of saying that THE SACRIFICES (plural) OF GOD are a broken spirit (singular), is to say that the sacrificed Lamb of God (singular in Jesus Christ, but multiplied in His body, the church), is a singular event pluralized throughout history.  Thus THE SACRIFICES OF GOD, being a broken spirit, is simply the singularity (or oneness) of our spirits attached to the Lord’s Spirit, and then broken or divided like bread to a starving world.

The good news—which is Jesus Christ being given to the world—is obtained by mere acceptance with contrition; the only cost is a soft and compliant heart, which is really no cost at all, merely the means whereby someone is conditioned to receive that good news.  Though man mocks meekness and considers it weakness, from God’s perspective, meekness, repentance and contrition are strengths; God not only “will not despise” brokenness and contrition, He encourages and applauds them.

Brokenness—as perfectly exampled by our Lord and Savior—is ultimately THE SACRIFICES OF GOD, and we participate insofar as we share in His sufferings and distribute ourselves to others in like manner as Jesus did and does.