I was checking my blood pressure with a little automated wrist cuff that I keep at home. My grandson asked, "What does that do Grandpa?" I explained it helped me to know if my heart was healthy. He asked if I could put the cuff on him, so I did, on his upper arm which is smaller than my wrist. As it pressurized, he said, "I hope that it shows my heart is really lovable!" He is five so his concept of heart health is about the kind of person one is, about being loving, not about blood pressure and pulse rates. I think Gavin is on to something in this! True health is deeper than physical statistics. What shape is your heart in, Believer?
Would it make any difference if we could put on a monitor that would indicate when our faith is in need of strengthening, or that our hope is lagging behind the norms, or that love is at a low state? The truth is that there is such a monitor! Jesus Christ tells us that ". . . whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart." (Matthew 12:34-35, NLT) "What you say flows from what is in your heart." (Luke 6:45, NLT) Just listen to your daily conversation. A heart sick with sin will be shown by the words of lust, or greed, or hatred that spill out of us. A healthy heart will show in consistent words of faith, hope, and love.
Recently I was reading an article written by a physician who was lamenting the pill mentality that he claims has replaced good medicine in America, a mis-focus that is costing us $billions unnecessarily. So many of our ills would be better treated with holistic methods that involve our lifestyles. He claimed that the majority of our illnesses, particularly those of aging, would have much less impact if we ate more balanced diets with significantly lower amounts of fats and refined sugars that included more vegetables and less meat. He urged regular daily exercise to keep weight under control. Instead of spending $thousands on medicines, he claimed that most of us could change the quality of our lives with common sense adjustments to our way of life. But instead, we want indulge ourselves and then pop a pill to 'fix' the resulting malfunction.
Spiritual heart health is much the same. We grow strong in the ways of God and enjoy a depth of spiritual qualities (loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled- Galatians 5:22-23, CEV) not with some instant fix or a quick encounter with a miracle. We become healthy Believers by integrating the truth of Scripture into our minds, daily; by exercising our souls with obedience, in the little choices of each day; by trusting God for our daily bread, committing ourselves to Him. The Divine Heart Surgeon promises these results - "I’ll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed. I’ll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands. . . . You’ll be my people! I’ll be your God! " (Ezekiel 36:26-28, The Message)
I want to be a disciple of Jesus is beautiful from the inside out, don't you? I don't want to just 'look good.' I want to 'be good,' - so help me God! I want His grace to go heart deep.
_________________
Friend, how would you feel
If your heart were made
With a window on each side?
So that all could see
Not just outward charm,
But detect if inward harm.
Jesus really knows you
For He sees inside.
How about your heart,
Is it right with God?
That's the thing that
Counts today, today.
How About Your Heart
© 1954 Renewed 1982 Gospel Quartet Music Company, Inc.
(Admin. by Integrated Copyright Group, Inc.) CCLI License No. 810055
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