Saturday, February 8, 2020

The Right Heart

Recently, my family and I watched Aladdin, a movie about a poor “street rat (boy)” who found good fortune by finding a magical lamp, where a genie lived. Aladdin was given a chance to ask for three wishes. It’s probably a secret desire of most folks to have the opportunity to ask for anything and—“Poof!”—it shows up instantly. But that’s not reality!

However, there was a time in the Bible when a young king offered 1,000 burnt offerings to God, seeking His mercy, guidance, and wisdom. That night, God came to him in a dream and asked him what he really wanted, to which Solomon replied, “...Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.” (1 Kings 3:9)

Was it the number of offerings he offered that helped him get his “wish”? Or the posture of his heart? Throughout the history of the Israelites, the people often used the sacrifices as a formula for blessings rather than an ‘appeal to God from a pure conscience’ (1 Peter 3:21). Too many times the feasts, the Sabbaths, the fasting’s, and any other “ritual” was misused.

When Jesus showed up, He was going to show what God was really looking for in all of those “rituals.” Soon after His ministry began, as He was drawing people to Himself through His teaching and healings, He also addressed the abuse in the religious system.

In Luke 6, we read the “Sermon on the Mount” as a reenactment of Moses reading the law on the mountain. However, here Jesus breaks down who will really be blessed by God’s way of living.
Luke 6:20-26: “Blessed are you…
     who are poor (humble), for yours is the kingdom of God.
     who hunger now (longing), for you will be satisfied.
     who weep now (compassionate), for you will laugh.
     when people hate you … because of the Son of Man (faithful)…
     But woe to you who are rich (arrogant), for you have already received your comfort.
     Woe to you who are well-fed (greedy) now, for you will go hungry.
     Woe to you who laugh (ignore the hurts of others) now, for you will mourn and weep.
     Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you (proud)…

Jesus presented a better perspective of what God had been requiring all along. Seeing how Jesus demonstrated His obedience to God by serving people (Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”)

Paul described this new paradigm shift this way in Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Your heart matters! Give yours to God, and you won’t be disappointed.

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