It’s just good dramedy when the villain looks over his shoulder once more to pour out arrogant words of hate with “I got you!” only to step off a cliff or fall over an obstacle in their way.  They fell because all their thoughts and focus was on making someone else miserable.  “You reap what you sow” comes to mind. Paul writes truth to the infant believing church then and is applicable to the church now;

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:7-9

God knows our hearts.  Jesus who is part of God knows hearts and sees what our hearts are holding onto as well as sending out.  Pure hearts sincerely love God and love others without conditions. Pure hearts do not require proof of worth by others to love—they just love them as humans, like themselves, created by God in His own image.  Our identity is in Jesus, we belong to God because of the redemption Jesus provided for us!

Heart Proof—Remember the time when the Pharisees came to Jesus with hearts bent on religious tradition more than their focus on God’s heart?  They came to Jesus, as they did often in attempts to discredit Him in front of the crowds who hung on every word He said to ask, “Um, why don’t your disciples wash their hands before they eat?”  The question seemed simple but it was loaded with contempt for Jesus.  Handwashing was not an act cleanliness, only a ceremonial show of tradition by priests.  Jesus knew their hearts and responded with more than they asked for as it was also an opportunity to preach Truth to the crowd!  Jesus’ words of truth profoundly pointed out the difference between religious tradition given by God and relationship with God.  The Great Physician was listening to the Pharisees words while tuning in to heal the condition of their hearts. They had twisted God’s Law while adding to God’s Law without His permission to the point they no longer knew God.

“And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.’

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”

Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” Matthew 15

Jesus is Truth who tells the Truth so hearts will know Truth and turn to God!  God will not refuse forgiveness with love, mercy, and grace to a humbled heart who seeks Him.  Jesus was sent to seek and to save the lost. Most of the religious leaders were lost.

The disciples asked Jesus for an explanation of this teaching because previously all they knew was what the religious leaders said.  Jesus responds;  “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”—Jesus, Matthew 15:17-20

This is why, unlike what the world thinks, we do not follow our hearts!  Our hearts can deceive us, Jesus tells us.  We follow the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit who Jesus promised would lead us always to Truth.  Our discernment between what is good and what is evil comes from His Spirit who lives in us!  Therefore, we seek the heart of God for He will never fail to deliver and demonstrate Truth.

We also find hope and strength when we lift our eyes to the God of mercy rather than focusing on our troubles or overthinking about the future. Our hope is in Jesus; God’s gift of eternal life to all who believe!  The Psalmist teaches us that pure hearts no only look up to God for help; hearts seeking the heart of God are focused on His commands, ready to trust and obey what He says to be and do.  We sing, “It is well with our souls” when our hearts are in harmony with God’s heart!

Our growing love for God increases our desire to serve Him!  There are many physical examples of what it is like to be a servant in the King’s court.  Watch the movies of kings and queens who have servants standing in readiness nearby, with eyes fixed on their master’s.  They move immediately at His command or the wave of his hand. 

This is the alertness to God that the Psalmist is speaking. We too are servants of our God Most High, eager to do His will, because our hearts are tuned to His.  If they are not, we fall to what the world says to be and do, led by the prince of his world who is evil.  Have mercy on our jaded, spoiled, unhealthy hearts, Lord.

Psalm 123, The Message

A song of ascents.

^1-4 I look to you, heaven-dwelling God,
    look up to you for help.
Like servants, alert to their master’s commands,
    like a maiden attending her lady,
We’re watching and waiting, holding our breath,
    awaiting your word of mercy.
Mercy, God, mercy!
    We’ve been kicked around long enough,
Kicked in the teeth by complacent rich men,
    kicked when we’re down by arrogant brutes.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

When feeling unloved, discouraged by troubles, or unworthy—don’t be a brute, for that will only compound the unhealthy condition of our hearts.   “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the Light of His glory and grace.”  This chorus lifts me up when I am confused or troubled by circumstances. My prayer for mercy is simply, “I trust you, Jesus” which assures my heart and renews my thinking of to whom I belong!  It is a verbal proclamation of trust said out loud even in a silent room alone with God.

When life gets hard, where is your gaze? Take a few moments right now to gaze upon our Savior.  Let us ask him for mercy.  Then we will begin to feel His unconditional love with heaping amounts of unending grace wash over us.  Remember that it is God who will do the heavy lifting in our lives for He is strong, wise, unfailing, never quits, and powerfully capable. Allow God to realign our hearts, renew our minds, and infuse our souls with His hope and strength.

To God be the glory, honor, and praise!  Great is His faithfulness!

In Jesus Name, Yes, and Amen!