Heart Health

Country-dwellers know what "road kill" is and what an unsightly sight it is!  Mr. Bill used to have a t-shirt that glamorized and boasted, "The Original ROAD KILL Cafe: You Kill 'Em - We Grill 'Em."  Listed on the back of the shirt were road kill “delicacies” such as: Possum Butter & Jellyfish, Grilled Muskrat & Cheese, Three Leg Possum Omelet, Head Light Hare, and Rattle Snake Shake. Now, only Mr. Bill would buy such a shirt and only HE would wear it!

Quite often I consider what an "unsightly sight" my heart is to The Father.  Why, I can hide my heart's ugliness from others, but to God it’s laid bare – open - exposed.  He must surely wonder, why I am not grieved about my heart's polluted condition.  Day after day, I go about my doings with a heart in need of divine surgery.  We read the wisdom of King Solomon in Proverbs regarding the heart of man:

"Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life." (4:23)

"Keep my commands and live ... write them on the tablet of your heart." (7:2-3)

"A sound heart is life to the body ... " (14:30a) 

"A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." (16:9)

"The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the hearts." (17:3) 

It's clear -- God wants our hearts and, of course, it's the hardest to relinquish.  God knows when He has our hearts completely, He'll have our all.  “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)  Yes, the greatest sacrifice unto God and makeup of a useful vessel rests completely with a heart broken, laid open, bare, and surrendered to God and His perfect will.  So, how’s your heart health?