Understanding that our hearts are diseased, and that we don't pass the "heaven" test, Jesus, our spiritual cardiologist has come up with the perfect "exercise" regimen to fix the problem. He says: "exercise your right to accept my heart in exchange for yours." We are urged to contrast our hearts with His. When we list the claims that qualify him as either crazy or kingly (depending on your world view), don't omit this one: "Can any one of you convict me of a single misleading word, a single sinful act?" (John 8: 46 MSG) I know if I issued that challenge to my friends and family hands would wave like stalks in an Indiana corn field.
While His enemies tried to drum up false charges against Him so as to convict Him of wrongdoing, Pilate, Ceaser's highest ranking official in the region, found no guilt in Him. Peter, His excitable disciple who walked with Him for three years, testified: "He never did one thing wrong, not once said anything amiss." (1 Peter 2: 22 MSG). Clearly His heart is in perfect condition, so how does He respond to our diseased and imperfect hearts? Well, can a cardiologist spot irregularity and dismiss it?
By the same token, Jesus has made His position clear: "[Only] The pure in heart will see God." (Matt. 5: 8). So where does that leave you and I? It leaves us needing a heart transplant. It leaves us drawing hope from a five letter Greek word - Hyper. "Hyper's not a Greek word I hear you say, it's what my kids are when they have to stay home from school for a week at Thanksgiving!" Well, we'll just have to find out tomorrow won't we?
0 comments:
Post a Comment