How's your heart?

How's your heart? That can be a very important question. Towards the end of last year, a very dear friend of ours (my wife and me), who was 81 years of age (the same age as I currently am!), but full of life, and joy, and who always seemed to be in the best of health, died unexpectedly. The cause of her death? A sudden heart attack. The Emergency Services were called, but it was too late. Now, I have to say that this dear lady was a true disciple of Jesus and we believe, firmly, that while the physical body died, her spirit - the very essence of who she was - went to be with her Saviour, to be eternally with Him. However, it would appear that her heart - the physical organ - wasn't as strong as those who knew her had believed!

The heart, as well as being a physical organ, has long been considered to be the seat of our emotions; the seat if decisive action; and the seat of belief (as well as of doubt!). The heart symbolises the centre of our moral, spiritual, and intellectual life. It is the seat of our conscience and life.

And Almighty God knows our hearts well! Through the prophet, Jeremiah, He states that "I YHWH search the mind and try the heart, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings." (17:10). After the global flood, He pronounces that "the desires of the human heart are evil from youth;" (Gen. 8:21; NABrevd).

The Lord Jesus informed His disciples that "What comes out of a man is what defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man." (Mark 7:21-23).

Father God searches, and weighs, our hearts by the teaching of the Scriptures. He opens our hearts, to His truth, and gives us a new heart when we come to the Christ, in confession, repentance, faith, and commitment. He gives us a heart that is sensitive to His presence, His leading, and His love. Speaking through the prophet Ezekiel, He states: "A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances." (36:26-27), words originally declared to the Children of Israel, but applicable to all.

Don't ever hesitate to take to Him whatever is on your heart. He already knows it, in any case, but He doesn't want you to bear its pain, or celebrate its joy, alone!

So, "How's your heart?"!

The Ten Words (9)

The penultimate of the Ten Words (Commandments) gives the instruction: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour." ( Ex 20:16), so has to do, basically, with truth.  This, of course, is no more, or less, than we would expect from the God Who, in His incarnation, stated: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life;" (John 14:6).

Warren Wiersbe (one of my favourite contemporary commentators) writes: "Speaking the truth.and honouring promises, is the cement that holds society together.  To tell lies in court is to undermine the very law itself, which explains why Moses required the witnesses to be the executioners in capital crimes (Deut.17:6-13).  It's one thing to lie; but quite something else to kill in order to protect your lie.  The commandment also prohibits slandering people." (in loc).

Lying, of course, is increasingly common in our contemporary society.  In the UK, a General Election is in the offing, and politicians of every political shade and hue, are making promises galore.  Yet, in so many cases, they already know that what they are saying is a lie.  Mind you, an increasingly sophisticated electorate is increasingly sceptical of promises - especially those made by the 'traditional' parties who have shown, in the past, how little store they put by this commandment!  In spite of the efforts of bodies such as the Advertising Standards Authority (in the UK), manufacturers continue to make exaggerated, or misleading, claims about their products.  On the Internet, there are those who lie about their own identity in order to entrap an unsuspecting child for their own paedophile purposes.

Lying has almost become an accepted way of life.  Oh, I know that many of us would only admit to what we, euphemistically, refer to as "little white lies".  However, if truth be told (!), a lie, is a lie, is a lie - regardless of its alleged colour!   Our world is accurately described by Isaiah's description of ancient Israel: "No one enters suit justly, no one goes to law honestly; they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies, they conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity." (Isa 59:4).

The final point made by Dr Wiersbe, is of great importance.  Sometimes, we do not consider gossip and slander as lying.  After all, we are just passing on what we have been told!  Perhaps that is the problem!  Or we may allow others to make assumptions that are, themselves, untrue.  I confess to that sort of behaviour myself.  I know that I have often been very good at "telling the truth" - but ensuring that it is not "the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."!

Is there an answer?  There is.  Paul urged Church members in Ephesus to "... put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, putting away falsehood, let every one speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another." (Eph 4:24-25).

God wants us all to commit ourselves to truth and reflect it in everything we do. That is why He commands us: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour."