This Monday finds me musing over the many devotional thoughts I've written and shared over the years. I began writing in January 2006, and was reviewing one of the first ones I wrote and shared. Likely you haven't read this one, so I'm including it today for your consideration.
HEART SURGERY OR A NEW WARDROBE?
You've been to the doctor and heard the dreaded news that you need heart bypass surgery. But you decide that maybe your heart problem could be cured by buying a new set of clothes. Your reasoning is that if you looked better on the outside you might be made better on the inside.
While we dismiss this "self-diagnosis" as a ridiculous solution to a serious problem, it is a fitting illustration of a common approach to spiritual problems. It's so much easier to "put on a happy face", try harder, and clean up our act. It's much harder to get down to the real "heart problem" that causes us to do the things that we know are not pleasing to the Lord.
The religious leaders of Jesus' day were entirely focused on the outward appearance. Jesus said of them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: `THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. `BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.' (Mark 7:6,7)
However strongly we protest the actions of these they-should-know-better religious leaders, we would have to admit that we are not immune to the problems that plagued them. It's deceptively easy to place a priority on external performance while neglecting inner spiritual vitality. Deeds and actions are much more observable "spiritual barometers" than the inner disciplines of Bible reading and study, prayer, and intimate communion with both our Savior and our Father.
Accountability is the only real remedy for artificiality. It's initially uncomfortable to be bluntly honest with a Christian confidante about your true spiritual condition, but the prayer and support of a like-minded brother or sister reaps - literally - eternal rewards.
Cosmetic remedies for internal maladies make no more sense that new clothes when heart surgery is needed. May we each look closely and carefully at our true condition, and boldly seek what we need to become all we can be as Christ's disciples.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2011
HEART SURGERY OR A NEW WARDROBE?
You've been to the doctor and heard the dreaded news that you need heart bypass surgery. But you decide that maybe your heart problem could be cured by buying a new set of clothes. Your reasoning is that if you looked better on the outside you might be made better on the inside.
While we dismiss this "self-diagnosis" as a ridiculous solution to a serious problem, it is a fitting illustration of a common approach to spiritual problems. It's so much easier to "put on a happy face", try harder, and clean up our act. It's much harder to get down to the real "heart problem" that causes us to do the things that we know are not pleasing to the Lord.
The religious leaders of Jesus' day were entirely focused on the outward appearance. Jesus said of them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: `THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. `BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.' (Mark 7:6,7)
However strongly we protest the actions of these they-should-know-better religious leaders, we would have to admit that we are not immune to the problems that plagued them. It's deceptively easy to place a priority on external performance while neglecting inner spiritual vitality. Deeds and actions are much more observable "spiritual barometers" than the inner disciplines of Bible reading and study, prayer, and intimate communion with both our Savior and our Father.
Accountability is the only real remedy for artificiality. It's initially uncomfortable to be bluntly honest with a Christian confidante about your true spiritual condition, but the prayer and support of a like-minded brother or sister reaps - literally - eternal rewards.
Cosmetic remedies for internal maladies make no more sense that new clothes when heart surgery is needed. May we each look closely and carefully at our true condition, and boldly seek what we need to become all we can be as Christ's disciples.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2011
posted by steve @ 9:42 AM
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