I read a story online of a mom talking about an incident where her three-year-old daughter stuck out her hand and said, “Look at the fly I killed, Mommy.” Since she was eating a juicy pickle at the time, mom shoved her daughter’s contaminated hands under the faucet and washed them with antibacterial soap. After sitting her down to finish her pickle, she asked, with a touch of awe, “How did you kill that fly all by yourself?” Between bites, she said, “I hit it with my pickle.” Well, that hand needed washing, but the real problem was in the pickle she was putting in her mouth! I thought about that story, and it reminded me that God says that for us people making our journey here on earth, we judge people by their actions. We declare them good or bad by what we think should be…well, good or bad. But God says that is only the tip of the iceberg. The real problem is the heart. We can wash our actions and garner the praise of those around us…but we all have this problem with the heart. We like to think that we are all, or at least most of us, good-hearted people. But sin has not only corrupted our hearts, but our ideas of what is really good and right and noble. God tells us that the heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. And it isn’t “them” that has that problem…it is “us” …all of us. We are in the same boat here. And we end up washing our hands and then chomping down on the fly smashing pickle. So, is there any hope? Any solution? The Bible cries out with a thunderous “Yes”! God has promised that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. That old life is gone, and a new life has begun. And it begins with a heart that is forgiven and begins its own journey to be shaped like Christ. Will you be perfect? No…not until we are with the Lord. But our hearts are changed and are softer and are responsive to the love and kindness of God. And in turn our hearts love God…love those who love us…and even love those who don’t. Get your new heart with your forgiveness when you come to this Jesus of the Bible and fall in love with him. And nothing will be the same again! Here’s our Bible verse for today…
Jeremiah 17:9-10 NLT “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? (10) But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives.
Remember I’m praying for you!
With love, PJ
Jeremiah 17:9-10 NLT “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? (10) But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives.
Remember I’m praying for you!
With love, PJ