Yesterday I told you about my experience with a "heart condition" which, thankfully turned out to be a sleep apnea episode and not any sort of heart trouble. I did mention however, that we all have a heart disease that requires a heart exchange, since medication and exercise don't work on this kind of heart disease. For the skeptics, I suggested that a simple heart exam would establish whether or not we had diseased hearts.
The spiritual cardiologist examines our hearts and finds deep disease: "For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly" (Mark 7: 21-22). The problem is further described in pandemic proportions: "No one is righteous - not even one..." (Romans 3: 10). Am I overstating the facts? Well let's find out with this simple heart exam and measure our life against these four standards from God's law, since, as applicants for heaven we should at least score well on God's entrance test.
1. You must not steal (Ex. 20: 15) - Have you ever taken anything that didn't belong to you (even a paper clip)?
2. You must not lie (Ex. 20: 16) - If you say you never have you just did!
3. You must not commit adultery (Ex. 20: 14) - Jesus said if you look at a woman with lust, you've committed adultery in your heart (Matt. 5: 28)
4. You must not murder (Ex. 20: 13) - Before you claim innocence, remember, Jesus equates murder with anger. "Anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder." (Matt. 5: 22) We assassinate a dozen drivers daily on the morning commute.
Evidently, the news is grim from the cardiologist. Your test scores indict you as a thieving, lying, adulterous murderer. Apparently, you, like I, need a new heart. What do we do? We'll find out tomorrow.
3 comments:
That is why we are humans... because we make mistakes and learn with them... our journey is long in life, and I am sure just one life is not enough to learn all He tried to teach us.
You're right. Sometimes life feels as if I'm knocking my head against a brick wall, and I wonder if I can learn all that there is for me to learn, in only one lifetime.
doesnt that give us food for thinking?
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