WATCHWORD:
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Psalm 139:23
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10-19
Meditation:
A Pure Heart
When I was 15, I set the Goshen high school record for the half mile at 2.15. Alas, my prideful record was broken less than two weeks later, and my fame was short lived!
Half mile. Today at my age, with my health, I could duplicate that, that’s right, I could do a half mile in 2 hours and 15 minutes! I know if I walk 25 yards too quickly, I would have to stop, gather myself, pull out my rescue inhaler and get myself under control, before I could continue. At first, I thought I had a breathing problem until my cardiologist assured me that it was actually a heart problem. I remain under the care of my cardiologist and I will continue to do so, taking my medicine and being as kind as I can be to myself. No records for distances for me.
I think we all know that the human heart is an amazing organ. I read that our heart beats around 100,000 times each day and pumps 2000 gallons of blood through 60,000 miles of blood vessels in our bodies. Wow! That’s a workhorse, but that’s also why heart health is central to our well-being, regardless what else you may be treated for.
Arthur Jackson, who serves as counselor and mentor to pastors, and is a contributor to Our Daily Bread, has written on another aspect of the heart. He writes, “While medical science speaks authoritatively about our physical hearts, God speaks with even greater authority about a heart of another kind, our spiritual heart. He addresses the mental, emotional, spiritual, and moral center of our being. Because the heart is the central processing unit of life, it must be protected: Psalm 4:23 tells us to Guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Safeguarding our spiritual hearts will help us with our speech, compel us to be discerning with our eyes, and choose the best paths for our feet. Regardless of age or stage of life, when our hearts are guarded, our lives are preserved, our relationships are protected, and God is honored. Our lifestyle and habits reveal a lot about the condition of our hearts.
How does God create a pure heart? Or, renew a steadfast spirit? I believe that only happens as our trust in the Lord deepens and our belief of His promises are constant guides of our lives. We cannot have a pure heart and a steadfast spirit without being His, and experiencing the Joy of our Lord. Amen.
The Inn on Jericho Road:
This Scripture-inspired story brings the Parable of the Good Samaritan to life! View the ministry through the mind of a doubting Samaritan merchant. Palmetto Publishing has set the release date for November 12, 2024.
Closing Prayer:
Dearest loving Father, today I come to you with an open and humble heart. I choose to submit myself to you and surrender my ways to your ways. I don’t want anything to hold me back from what you have in store for me and for my future. I choose forgiveness. I choose peace. Help me by your spirit, to press forward into the life of blessings you have for me. Let me make the choice to change and to thank you for empowering me and refreshing me this day. In Jesus name. Amen.
