12 May 2010

Some things die hard!?







Like the old man.

The same old struggles.  The same old sins.  Symptoms of a broken angry heart. 

The tongue is the tail of the heart...A lashing tongue is the symptom of an angry heart.

Ann Voskamp
HA!  Who am I?  This is absolutely ridiculous.  I should never speak again.
Not that I think Ann's comment is ridiculous.  I am.
...for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.  Luke 6:45
In truth I don't even want to put the first part of that verse on the quote because it is so incriminating.  So here it is
The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil
The hours run short.
So does my patience.
How does the saying go?-  When the going gets tough, the tough get going.  Or for me is it rather When the going gets tough, the heart skin gets tough.  The calloused heart breaks people.  Myself included.  Maybe most of all.
Then I am so very thankful for the Cross.  For Easter.  And that we are the Easter people.

The friend who is as a brother asked something that has my mind whirling these days.
The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it? -Jeremiah 17:9

This is at the core. What do we do with that, those of us with new hearts?  Those that are new creations.  Because that is what we are.

I wrestle.

Jeremiah 33:29-41 states
I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them.  I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them.  And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.  I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.

His great work, stated even more emphatically in Ezekial 36:22-32
Therefore say to the house of Isreal, thus says the Lord GOD:  It is not for your sake, O house of Isreal, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name,  which you have profaned among the nations to which you came.  And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them.  And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.  I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.  I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.  And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.  And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules...I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses... Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations.  It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord GOD; let that be known to you.  Be ashamed and confounded for your ways...
 And Romans 5
...and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly...but God shows his love for us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  Since, therefore, we have been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 
And on through chapter 6.
Consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
 So what? I am dead to sin, never to sin again?  I know much better than this.  Either that or there is something seriously sick in my heart... Ah, I read on.

THIS BODY OF DEATH.
 For I do not understand my own actions.  For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate...for I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.  For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing...
Wretched man that I am!  Who will deliver me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!  So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

So, this body of death I carry around.  This rotting corpse so often spilling metritis on those who dare to come near is sin at work within me.
Thanks be to God that He is my righteousness, and that his Grace abounds much more than the old Adam at work with in me.

So I can read Romans 8 and REJOICE! I GET A NEW  BODY! AND THERE IS NOW NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS!


And yet, I am in massive frustration because our newness is both Already and Not Yet.  A new heart in the already sealed deal, and a deal that is still being worked out.  A heart that is new and  a mind that must be set on the things of the Spirit and a Dead corpse that will be made new. 

So, again I must throw myself at the mercy of the Saviour.  Do your work oh LORD! Thank you that it is already finished! Teach me how much to trust this heart that you have given me.



holy experience

3 comments:

  1. Great post! Great truth! May many read it and be blessed! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh Lord, that You would work in me!

    Blessings!

    Camie

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh, the truth in these words!

    Thank you, from one broken heart to another.

    ReplyDelete

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