What's In Your Heart?

I read a recent comment from a friend on Facebook that got me thinking. She mentioned that she had been doing some really in depth cleaning and she didn't realize how much unseen dirt was there simply because it lay hidden. Isn't that the truth? How many times have you discovered where all the dust bunnies hide, when you decide it's time to move to a new home. We do our best to vacuum all the places that are visible but what lies hidden many times gets skipped over, not because we don't want it clean but simply out of neglect of the things that are not seen.

True of our homes, even truer of our lives. So many times we allow things to creep into our lives and we excuse them because they are unseen. We know the big stuff that's wrong, that would be visible if we participated in, so we steer clear of those things. But it's the little things in the hidden corners of our lives that cause us to not be clean before God. Oh - don't get me wrong. No one knows of our issues. No one is aware that we've got some cobwebs in the corner. No one knows of the dust bunnies that are reproducing rapidly under our bed and because they don't we go through life with a false sense of righteousness - a righteousness that we portray on the outside but is only skin deep. If we are ever going to be truly righteous - we've got to open the windows of our heart, let the light in and expose all the hidden places to the truth of God's word.

You see we have no problem condemning murder and adultery, fornication and drug use, lying and stealing, perversion and lust. But just as condemned in God's Word are things like pride, gossip, judgment, and condemnation. We have private sins that we allow ourselves because they're not readily visible to the outside world. . . and yet we are open books before our great God who knows and sees all.

I love Jesus' Sermon on the Mount - and one of my favorite passages states "Judge not, lest you be judged. Condemn not, lest you be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given back to you, press down, shaken together . . ." Anyone who's ever been to a church service where an offering was taken has probably heard the second half of that passage. Imagine with great gusto and an evangelistic persuasion as Bro. Offering Taker says "GIVE and IT'LL BE GIVEN BACK TO YOU - PRESSED DOWN SHAKEN TOGETHER RUNNING OVER SHALL MEN HEAP UNTO YOUR BOSOMS - FOR WITH THE SAME MEASURE THAT YOU GIVE IT OUT IT WILL BE RETURNED UNTO YOU! -- GLORY TO GOD, HALLELUJAH, AMEN!" Now don't get me wrong, I believe God's Word. But many times we forget the first half of that passage which reveals that if we judge, if we condemn, and if we harbor unforgiveness, the same measure that we use to mete that out, will be used to judge us, condemn us, and withhold forgiveness from us. I mention that scripture because many times we are quick to point out the flaws and sin in the lives of others but meanwhile we have major flaws in our own life, hidden away and just because they're under the bed, doesn't mean they aren't there.

I've been studying the life of David recently and the more I study the more I'm fascinated. I've known all of the stories all my life but I'm trying to look deeper to get an understanding of the true shepherd boy who became king. I marvel at his humility when in the midst of having his sin exposed, his murderous adulterous affair brought to light by God's prophet Nathan, he does not respond in self-righteous indignation but rather finds a place of repentance. And on his face before God in repentance, we hear the words, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. . ." So many times, we just need to learn to ask God to create within us a clean heart and to remove that heart that is dirty and filthy with all sorts of ungodly attitudes and actions, that although hidden still remain. Stop vacuuming around the obvious. Stop cleaning just that things that people can see but allow our hearts to be exposed to a God who lovingly and willingly will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

So - what's in your heart today? Are there things there that you've been hiding from the world and trying to hide from God. If so - throw back the curtains, open up the windows and invite God to come and truly cleanse you - not just of the things that are seen but of the things that are hidden as well. Stop pointing out the faults of others and allow God to make you to be more like Him. In so doing, we will be cleansed ourselves and then better able to help our brother or sister when they are struggling - not from a self-righteous perch - but by going to where they are and in a spirit of love help to restore those that have fallen. I want my heart to be an authentic match to the heart of my Creator - today oh God - create in me a clean heart!

Love all of you - hope you're having a wonderful start to the week - let's learn to love others with the kind of love, shared with us by Jesus Christ Himself, unselfish, always forgiving, merciful and kind . . . God bless - until next time - RP