SET YOUR HEART

Image result for CLIP ART SHOWING SETTING THE HEART FIRMLY  In Luke 12, Jesus is warning you and me about the sin of worry as we are distracted by so many cares, concerns, and maybe needs.  In Luke 12:29, "And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them."  The NIV uses do not set your heart, while the old KJV says, do not seek after.  The suggestion is: do not focus on, aim for, or pursue after.


I wonder...how do I set my heart?  Do I set it very casually and just throw whatever upon it like I am putting a fast throw together meal on the table? Do I protect and guard my heart with what I see, hear, or speak? Or do I set my heart with purpose and intentionality for what I understand may be God's "meal"/purpose for me today?  Sometimes, I set my table so casually and carelessly with the distractions that want to press against me, and then I use all the "plastic tools and plastic plates", my self-help thoughts, to attack the distractions.  

Paul gives us a reminder in Colossians 3:1-2, "Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your heart upon things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthy things."  I confess, it is a struggle to focus, to aim, and pursue!  I must keep allowing the Spirit of God to remind me that HE KNOWS WHAT I NEED, and that HE has the ability to accomplish and to guide me in setting my heart on that which honors HIM.  In honoring HIM FIRST, all of the rest of the things which press will take on a different perspective instead of the 911 attention that I may give it.  Setting my mind and heart will give me respite and victory from fretting and stewing which is so dishonoring to HIM.  Tim Keller has said it so well, "Anxiety is a daily fax to God saying, "I don't think You have my best interests in mind." OUCH!  Oh me of little faith!  May your heart be set today with His purpose and His peace!  Forever learning!  In process.  #IHAVETHREESONS.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THOSE SEEING CAN BECOME BLIND

Image
John 9 is the story of the healing of the blind beggar.  Not only is it a marvelous story of the miraculous healing of the man as he is given his sight, but a sad story of the religious of whom Jesus said, "For judgment, I have come into this world, so that the blind will see, and those who see will become blind ." The religious have seen the miracle, even though it has taken place on a Sabbath, and they interview the man and his parents for their stories and understanding. I find it so thrilling that the healed man speaks so articulately and logically with the religious in their "interview" with him.  His statement, " Now that is remarkable!  You don't know where HE comes from, yet HE opened my eyes.  We know that God does not listen to sinners.  He listens to the godly man who does His will.  Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing." What truth he has spoken to the religious wh...
Read more

REHEARSALS

Image
  I wonder how much time do I give to rehearsing God's goodness and how He has intervened in my life to "save" me from myself?  How alike the Israelites I can be, complaining about what goes wrong, how it affects me, and what I lack.  As a Christ follower, I have the Indwelling Holy Spirit to give me remembrance NOT of my complaining and grumbling, but of a recall of God's faithfulness to me.  It is recorded in Psalms 78 and 106 that " They forgot what He had done, the wonder He had shown them", "They did not remember His power--the day He redeemed them from the oppressor...", "They did not remember Your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.", "But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel.", and "They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt...". Contrast with me, God's remembrance: Ps. 106:44-46, "But He took note of their distress...
Read more

A DONKEY SPEAKS!

Image
    Numbers has been full of repetitive accounts of the Israelites and their disobedience.  They have now made several laps around Mt. Sinai, many of the original people have died off, or been killed for their arrogant and presumptuous actions against the LORD, Moses, and Aaron. The overriding truth of the accounts is the merciful grace of the LORD! Moses is in his last days of leadership.  The forty years are coming to an end and they are moving toward a second attempt to enter the Promise Land.  They have been victorious in taking land, and they are moving further into the interior of the land of Moab.  The king and the residents of Moab are "filled with dread because of the Israelites.  The king of Moab, Balak, sends messages to Balaam, who is a sorcerer and is able to to place curses or blessings on others.  King Balak wants to know how to defeat "this horde" that is licking up everything around them.  Of course, he is desirous th...
Read more