My Heart Ripped Out

The news hour opened with a picture child killed by artillery shells fired into the heart of a Syrian city. The mother was screaming her anguish at no one in particular. The civil war there has gone from simmer to full boil. The next story was about Iran’s development of nuclear weaponry and the threat Israel was making to use military strikes to stop it. If that happens, thousands will die! A friend wrote about a woman and her newborn baby left to die after a botched C-section delivery in a poor, developing nation. Then there was the report of the despair in American cities where a young black man is much more likely to graduate from prison than from college. And I sat in the comfort of my living room, watching it all on flat screen TV.  Evil flourishes, demons rejoice, people suffer! It is the first day of the Lenten season and I am called to reflection and repentance. To escape into the isolation of my suburban home, to let myself think, “it’s not my problem,” is a sin against humanity and my God.

The prophet Joel was moved by the Spirit. “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”  Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity." (Joel 2:12-13, NIV) Who wants to let their heart be ripped out by the suffering of this world? If we allow ourselves to see it and to be moved by it, we are compelled to become active agents in the service of our King.

The first choice in the war on sin is our own transformation! “Return to Me,” He says. How? Not like the Pharisee who proudly prayed his own self-righteousness, thanking God that he was not like the ordinary sinners among whom he had to live. Rather we return to Him our hearts torn up, well aware of our own sins. Humility does not come easy to us. We want to justify our greed, sensuality, and indulgence of ourselves. We want to excuse our failure to serve, to keep our hope centered on Christ and the promise of eternal life. “Rip your heart out,” God roars! “Feel the pain, look at the ugliness.”  Only then does the depth of His grace start to become apparent. When we have tasted forgiveness and been filled with His goodness, we gain a new heart, that of a warrior who defeats evil with love modeled on that which brought Christ Jesus to give Himself.  

Joel reminds us that "Thousands upon thousands are waiting in the valley of decision. There the day of the Lord will soon arrive. … The Lord’s voice will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth will shake. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a strong fortress for the people of Israel." (Joel 3:14, 16, NLT) 

Will you rise up to join His army? 

Will you join the divine conspiracy to save the world by costly, sacrificial love? 

Start with your own heart. Let it be conquered by the King, every sin, every rebellious act, confessed and surrendered to Him. Then, make love your aim, starting at home, dying to Self, serving with joy. He’ll lead you from there.

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
“Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8, NIV)

________

I’m pleading my innocence here
Exposing my arrogance all the while
Hoping that nobody sees
Especially You

I've yielded to all that has cost me
And thrown to the side what is free
And I’m lying if I say that I've figured it out

But maybe this time
The bread and the wine
Will be more than food on my lips

I’m tasting forgiveness
And drinking of mercy
I feast on redemption
Tasting forgiveness

Tasting Forgiveness :

Copyright – Robbie Seay