Psalm 51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

The Hebrew word that David uses for "create," bara, always has God as its subject. We today might say an artist or musician "created" something, but the Hebrews didn't speak that way. God alone can bara. And that reveals a vital truth: there's only one way to get a clean heart and a renewed spirit. It's not by praying, fasting or confessing. None of that will somehow magically cause a new heart or right spirit to sprout within us. God renews us by this Son and Spirit. He alone gives us a new genesis, a fresh start.

That's helpful to remember in Advent. Should we pray? Yes. Fast? If we wish. Confess? Of course. But we don't self-create new hearts or autogenerate right spirits. The Maker of heaven and earth, our dear Father, does that for us because he positively delights in filling us to overflowing with his gracious gifts in Jesus Christ.
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