Talk
to me over dinner and I’ll tell you about the work of ministry which is my
passion, my adult children that I love. Pictures of my grandchildren will appear on my
phone in the course of the evening. And,
the Lord Jesus will be there in the
words, too. I’ll most likely talk about
grief a bit, even though I try to keep that to myself. However, since I shared
41 years with her, we probably will end up talking about my late wife at some
point. Engage in a conversation with a
person and, as they lower their guard, you will discover what they love, what
they believe, who they are.
Jesus
said “out of the overflow of his heart
his mouth speaks.” What is stored away in your heart? What kind of memories
have you cataloged and organized that shape who you are and what you say today?
James reminds us that fresh water does
not flow from a salt spring! That is one
reason to choose wisely what you decide to keep, what kind of information you
accumulate, where you feed your mind. The songs on your playlist are forming
your thoughts. The TV shows that you
watch in the evening are more than entertainment. The books you read are more
than words on a page. All of that ‘input’ gets stored away and begins to purify
or pollute the well that is our heart.
One
of the blessings of coming to know Christ is the promise of a transformed life
that flows out of a new heart. When we
receive Him as Savior, when we take our failures, our faults, our sins to Him with
confession, He forgives and makes us clean and new! The Word
says "Now we look inside, and what we
see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new.
The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and
him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other." (2
Corinthians 5:17-18, The Message) A dark
heart, full of hate, bitterness, lust, and pride is flooded with light when
Christ enters and change begins. Yes,
there is a process that continues. Old habits and patterns don’t just evaporate
in a moment. However, as we continue in the Christian life, the treasure store
is emptied of the trinkets and filled up with eternal riches.
The
Word encourages us to “let God transform
you into a new person by changing the
way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is
good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:3 NLT) How does that change occur? It is a cooperative effort. We are empowered by
the Holy Spirit Who comes to live in us. And, there is our part – the daily practice of
the spiritual disciplines; meditation, prayer, Scripture intake, worship,
service, confession, that allow Him to replace our trinkets with treasures.
Take
this line from Mary’s experience as the word from the Word today. As she lived through the amazing night of
Jesus’ birth and heard the words of shepherds about angelic announcements she
made an important choice that would become a foundation for her life as the
mother of the Messiah. "But Mary treasured up all these
things and pondered them in her heart." (Luke 2:19, NIV)
Create
a heart full of the treasures of heaven’s wisdom!
Take time to ponder what God is saying!
Take time to ponder what God is saying!
Live
well!
________________
Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Hark, the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King.”
Peace on earth and mercy
mild,
God and sinners reconciled.
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the
skies.
With th'angelic hosts
proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark, the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King.”
Come, Desire of nations,
come;
Fix in us Thy humble home.
Rise the woman's conqu’ring
seed,
Bruise in us the serpent's
head.
Adam’s likeness now efface,
Stamp Thine image in its
place.
Second Adam, from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Hark, the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
