The Heart

My dear friends mom recently had open heart surgery.  All was well until this week when her heart rate soared and they had to take her to the ER in which they admitted her and got her heart rate stabilized and then took her downtown so that her doctor could actually see her.  We are praying that she is well and healed of what is going on by tomorrow so that they don't have to reopen her and drain the fluid from her heart.  Please join me in praying for Sandy.

As I reflect on this and try to grasp my tiny brain around what is going on with all of this, I want to stop and think about our hearts.  

Jeb Kolby was the guest speaker at church this morning and he did a phenomenal job!  He is doing a 2 part series on sharing Christ in the marketplace.  You can listen to it here.  He wanted to give some practical ways to do this in the marketplace.  However, as he was preparing for this, God clearly showed him that if our hearts weren't right then the practical ways wouldn't matter.

He took us to Genesis 50 where we have the story about Joseph, the son of Jacob (Israel) who was betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery.  He then worked as a slave under Pharaoh in Egypt and because God was with him (or his heart was right with God) Pharaoh showed him favor and he became the number 2 man in all of Egypt.  Pharaoh's wife tried to seduce Joseph and Joseph wasn't going to stand for that, he was wrongly accused and therefore sent to prison.  But get this...even in PRISON, God was with Joseph!  He was able to interpret dreams and the story goes on to show the he did some pretty cool things because God was with him.  

Let's stop right here.  This story is pretty incredible.  I think what Jeb was trying to say was that Joseph's heart was in the right place.  He was put in some pretty crappy conditions: rejected by family, sold into slavery, wrongly accused, thrown into prison and I could go on.  The crazy thing is that even through all of this trash talking, mud slinging filth from anyone and everyone JOSEPH STILL PURSUED GOD and he did so with the RIGHT HEART.

You and I are far from perfect and so was Joseph!  But if we truly examine our hearts...and I mean truly examine our hearts.  Look deep down and do some soul searching.  Ask yourself these question:  Why do I do the things I do and who do I do them for?  If our answer is not Jesus and Jesus...then our heart ain't right!  It is such a challenge in today's society to stand for truth and not to give into our flesh.  So many times I want to call people out on their hypocrisy or to tell them how wrong they are.  That is what my flesh wants and Satan would LOVE that!  I do it...I mess up.  I get angry and say things I shouldn't or make commitments that I don't always follow through with or hurt the ones I love the most.  

The key for me is that my Daddy God is Heaven is looking down on me and says, "Sweetheart, I died on the cross for your sins and just confess them to me, make it right with those around you, and here is My grace!  My love!  My truth!  Relish in it!  Forget about it and move on!"  One day when I am standing before the gates of Heaven and my Father is looking at me, I want Him to say, "Well done my good and faithful servant!  Welcome Home"  will be the happiest moment in my life.  

I encourage us all to do a heart check.  Where are our hearts?  

Lord, You know all that is going on in mine and You see my hurt.  I pray for healing and restoration.  Father, continue to show me where my heart needs to be changed and where I need to lay down my sinful nature.  Teach me Your ways so that I might not sin against You!  Amen.