Spiritual Open Heart Surgery

Psalm 51, verses 10-12 reads:

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and put a new and right spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me away from your presence,
    and do not take your holy spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and sustain in me a willing spirit.

NRSV

As we look at this Psalm, which was written by David as a prayer, you would see this Psalm was written after Nathan confronted David about his affair with Bathsheba. Having fully faced his sin and transgression, not just against Bathsheba, but against God, he sits down and pens this Psalm as a prayer. Instead of continuing the behavior, David turned to God and requested spiritual open-heart surgery.

When we think about creating a clean heart within a person, we often think about a transplant or open-heart surgery. It’s removing a heart that is old and contaminated and replacing it with a heart that is clean and pure. In the natural world, this is usually performed by a medical doctor who studied and specializes in the heart.

However, when you have a need for spiritual heart surgery, there is only one you can turn to and that is the One who created it and that is God. God who created all everything is the only one who is able to blot out the transgressions that cover your heart. Not just blot them out, but create an entirely new and whole heart.

What is asked is for spiritual heart surgery. The request is for God to give a whole new heart that will not only be uncorrupted but will follow after God. A heart with a new rudder that will steer your soul in the right direction under the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

It’s through this spiritual open-heart surgery that your joy is restored and overtaken by the freedom of the Hoy Spirit. But, you have to have a spirit that is willing to see that your heart is corrupt and make the request before laying on the Holy operating table.

God still creates space for you to be able to come to him and petition Him in this way because there will come a point where you have to allow your spirit space to be healed from sin and transgressions. And that begins with acknowledging your transgressions before God and laying bare your soul.

Once the spiritual heart surgery is done, be a willing spirit. A spirit that is open to the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit. Allow the Holy Spirit to continue to guide you from your heart as it steers your soul toward restoration and healing.