In listening to a worship song (above) this week, I was pulled in by the beauty of the lyrics and how well they resonate with the true spirit of Lent.
“Heart Like Heaven” by Hillsong has been a favorite of mine for some time. Not only is it a beautifully written song, but the lyrics draw inspiration from my favorite Psalm (51). This Psalm, which was featured prominently in our Ash Wednesday service, is all about bringing a heart of contrition rather than sacrifice.
We don’t sacrifice in order to earn God’s favor, but in receiving His favor, we bring sacrifices out of the abundance of our love toward Him. This is the careful line we must walk when we engage with the spiritual disciplines of Lent. Otherwise, we are only practicing a form of self-righteous piety.
What can we learn from this song?
You can see in these lyrics the picture of a genuine encounter with God and what happens as a result. Holiness and brokenness collide and a multiform love is let loose on our world. In other words, as we seek God in our lives, we begin to encounter His holiness, love, and grace. These realities draw us to repentance and thus deeper into the life of the Spirit. Nearness to God greater fuels our desire to give ourselves over to Him completely, and this bears spiritual fruit in our lives, "the greatest of which is love".
When David says, “for thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it” or in Hillsong’s paraphrase, “if you sought perfection, I’d die trying to reach it”, he is saying that if God were desiring sacrifices from me, I’d still be all in, because He’s that good and He’s that worthy. Nothing else is worth it. That’s the kind of heart we offer back to God. As Psalm 51 states, “a contrite and a humble heart.” This is a picture of a sacrifice that is pleasing to Him.
So as we journey through the remainder of Lent, remember that it’s your heart He’s after. If you’re fasting, that’s great, but if your heart isn’t in it, you may as well be dieting. If you’re giving alms, that’s wonderful, but if you’re only doing so out of a sense of duty, then you may as well line up with the rest of the western world in its social relief efforts. It’s a contrite and humble heart God wants. So whatever you’re doing for Lent, “do with all your heart as unto the Lord" or maybe don’t do it at all.
I'll leave you with these words from the song. May they bless you as they blessed me.
Holy
No measure knows your worth
Facedown
Where mercy finds me first
If you sought perfection
I'd die trying to reach it
But this broken heart is all You want
About the Author
Winston Arblaster
Winston is an Oregonian whose favorite things include the “3 C’s”: coffee, craft beer, and writings of the Church Fathers. As Music Director, the highlight of his week is when he sees others open their hearts to God in worship.
He and his wife, Stephanie, live with their cat, Jerome, and love to travel.
Fun fact: Winston is a dual citizen to the UK and was named after Winston Churchill.
