Where is Your Heart?
This devotional was written by Robin Dugall
The Lord said, "Because this people draw near with their words, And honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me." —Isaiah 29:13
When we think of the heart, we usually think of things like "heart medicine" or "heart surgery", in other words, that vital organ in the middle of our chest that keeps us alive. In the Bible, the heart of a person is much more than simply an internal organ that sends blood throughout the body. The heart is seen as the center, the core of a person. Jesus often states that it is out of the heart that comes not only the good things that we are and do, but also that which breaks the heart of our loving God. The heart is the foundation of the decisions that we make that either honors God or moves us further from Him. That’s why the Bible over and over again brings up the importance of "guarding our heart." The status of our hearts is extremely important to determining where our relationship with God stands.
You may think that God wants all of who you are, and He does! God wants to direct your habits. Jesus wants to influence your decisions. He wants to guide your thoughts. He wants to bless your relationships and to guide every aspect of your life. But you know what He wants the most? Your heart! It is on your heart that God wants to make the greatest impact. You see, you can try to clean up your habits and life by your own willpower and, in some instances, your effort might pay off. You might do the things that "good Christians do" and think to yourself that God is pleased with you. Well, what really pleases God is having your heart! It is not your habits or lifestyle that ultimately pleases God. God is pleased when He has YOU! You can honor God in all kinds of ways and still withhold what He wants the most: your heart! Give Him all of your heart today!
GOING DEEPER:
1. What is the condition of your heart today?
2. Is the work you are doing FOR God inhibiting the work that God wants to do IN your heart? How? What is God calling you to do about that?
FURTHER READING:
Philippians 4:4-7; Colossians 3:16-17; James 5:8; Proverbs 4:23
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