The Power of a Healthy Heart. James 3.9-10

James passionately describes the destructive power of our tongue, of our unguarded words in the first half of James, chapter 3.  And writes, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.”  But interestingly enough, James never puts the onus where it belongs . . . our hearts.  But Jesus did -- out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

Huh, I chuckled to myself when I pressed the final “send” for the Morning Briefing, ‘The Tongue and its Power?’ to go hither and yon . . . chuckled, because I knew some of you were thinking, “Oh, I’m okay … I don’t usually lose control of my mouth … I am actually careful with what I say!” as you polished your halo and checked the infomercials for the latest and greatest in angel wings.  So, you have decent self-control with your tongue; that is terrific – really!   Here’s the thing: would you be okay with having your thoughts projected on a screen for others to read?

Dear Lord Jesus, you know our hearts, and just as you created physical hearts to pump blood, and through that blood, life to our bodies, so too, you created our spiritual hearts to be a certain way. 

When you created Adam and Eve, you did so in your image, complete with your heart!  Well, Lord—your heart pumps with joy, as I think of how you delight in your children.  Your heart is filled with compassion . . . oh, how you were moved by the hungry, moved by the lost, moved enough by the one, that you left the 99! (Luke 15)  Your heart is merciful, filled with tenderness and given over to generosity. 

Yes, it was an unadulterated heart that you placed within the breast of Adam, and then Eve, and that is the heart that you want us to have, Lord—untarnished by the world, unaffected . . . Those first two hearts were open to you, ready to receive from you-- humble, teachable, and communicative as you came to the Garden of Eden to talk to Adam and Eve, to walk with them in the cool of the day. (Genesis 3.8)  Oh, how I wish I could have been there! 

Tender, soft, open hearts – these are the hearts that you placed in your prototypes for all of humanity, and I am thinking Adam and Eve’s hearts must have been filled with adventure, too--with all those animals to name and care for!  Oh, God, you are so creative.  Well, with my limited view, with my finite understanding, I can only imagine the kind of heart that you envisioned for us to have beating in our breasts—but I know that is one that clamored to follow hard after you!  Of that I am sure.  We were created for you.

Now Lord, I know the damaging affects on my physical heart are things like cigarette smoke, fatty foods, excess weight and hereditary factors…but how about the heart that you had in mind for me when you formed me in my mother’s womb?  How about my spiritual heart and mind?  What damages those?   And, what changed the hearts of Adam and Eve, way back when, dear Lord?  What changed them from being open and communicative and free to wanting to hide and cover themselves?”

‘One thing, Child.  Corruption.  Sin.’

“Okay, so God, what does that look like?  What do you mean?  Open the eyes of my understanding, I pray.  Amen.  Search Me, O God.”

Corruption: from Genesis 3 - So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (verses 6-8)

Instantly – sin changed the condition of the heart.  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  Psalm 139.23,24

Grace to you,

Christine

PastorWoman.com