Heart Condition
The fastest way to a clean heart is this brave prayer of David’s found in Psalm 139.
This is the bravest prayer you can pray,
Verse 23-24 says,
“Search me, God, and know my heart; Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there is any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.”
Two years ago, I had an echocardiogram.
It is an ultrasound of the intricate functions of your heart. So lying there, I was intrigued by the rhythmic motion and sound of my own heart... it was to me all of a sudden, stunningly beautiful. Watching my heart valve open and close, working its work to keep me alive according to God’s perfectly complex design. With each beat, the valve looks like two little arms with clapping hands in applause, celebrating each push of life-giving blood through my heart.
I often wonder how one can doubt the existence of God with such intricately detailed splendor and awe in which our bodies are designed.
Divinely designed, in His image.
The natural divine design of the literal beating rhythm of my heart.
Rhythm is defined as an ordered recurrent (continual looping) alternation of contrasting elements in the flow of sound and silence in speech, music, action, or biological processes.
Biological processes are the process of being alive and living life.
There is a rhythm to everything isn’t there?
An ebb and flow of life, good and bad, rich and poor, wellness and sickness, life and death.
The scripture we are going to cover came in the wee hours of the morning… just God and me.
So often He calls, but sometimes I just stay snuggled up in my covers…however, this particular morning was different. I could feel His gentle tugging and knew I needed to move.
I prayed; “Holy Spirit, move in this place. Stir my heart as You would have me deliver Your word.”
It’s in the book of Colossians.
The church at Colossae was under attack from false teachers who were attempting to discredit Jesus; they were teaching that He was not actually God. Though Paul had never been to the church itself, he addressed these issues head-on. The nature of Jesus Christ as Creator and Redeemer was non-negotiable, so Paul wrote to them that he might correct this and set the record straight with the truth. It was critical to him that this church know God in His greatness and glory, rather than in the deficient view being preached by the false teachers.
This sounds a lot like what’s happening all around us now, doesn’t it?
This scripture is perfectly timed.
Colossians 3:8-16 says,
“But now you also, rid yourselves of all of them: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you stripped off the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self, which is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created it— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, and free, but Christ is all, and in all. So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also in addition to all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
“Singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
And I prayed,
“Father, set in each one of us the rhythm of thanksgiving… Father, see our willingness to honor you by giving thanks to You.”
As we enter this next week with Thanksgiving so fresh in our minds, let us hold fast to this truth.
Thanksgiving is not just something we do one day out of the year, but a constant posture of our heart.
Let us make allowances for each other.
Let us remember it is all for God’s glory, working in and through us to bring honor to the Kingdom.
Remember earlier in the definition of rhythm, it said “alternation of contrasting elements?”
Let’s re-read verse 11 again…
“a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, and free, but Christ is all, and in all.”
these are all contrasting elements, amen?
But look at that last line….
But Christ…is all…and in all.
Jesus is ALL and in ALL.
No matter the contrasting differences we face in each other, we are all made into one rhythm in Christ Jesus.
“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also.”
Colossians 3:12-13 NASB
Church, let’s be thankful today… right in the middle of our greatest frustrations, stop, pause, and find something to be thankful for.
I promise you, there is always something. If nothing comes to mind, stop and thank God for the breath in your lungs! Amen?
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says,
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”
Come on saints, we can do this!!
We can play nice, can’t we?
Beyond all these things, put on love… which is the perfect bond of unity.
How many of you know, that God loves it when His kids play nice together? Amen?
Let us take pause today. Can we?
Let us make allowances for other’s mistakes today, can we?
Let us bear with one another and forgive each other, can we?
Let us be thankful, we have breath in our lungs.
Give God all the glory, because nothing exists outside of His goodness.
“Lord, cultivate in me a heart rhythm of thanksgiving.”
Hallelujah!
