The Heart

There’s a lot of talk about hearts this week. That special day to give heart-decorated cards and gifts to people who mean so much to us. It is a romantic time ... and it doesn’t hurt the candy and card industries either. The heart has become the symbol for Valentine’s Day. We talk of love that comes from the heart and we talk about hearts being broken because of lost love.

The heart has long been used in the Bible to refer to the seat of emotion and reasoning. The heart is referred to as being pure or evil, obedient or impenitent, full of love or hardened with hatred. It is no wonder that David, recognizing his own weaknesses cries out to God, “Create in me a new heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10) In Hebrews 10:22, after speaking of Jesus as our high priest, the writer says, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Isn’t it amazing what modern medicine can do for the human heart? Doctors can prescribe medicine to help the heart pump the blood better and they can perform surgeries to open arteries and repair the heart in many ways. They can implant a pacemaker to keep it pumping and even give some people a new heart.

Physical heart disease comes in many forms. Sometimes it is such that doctors can’t do much about it. My mother had some blocked arteries that caused permanent damage to her heart. Because of her physical condition and age, doctors could not do by-pass surgery that might help some. She had to rely on medicine to help keep the blood flowing. Her heart finally gave out. It was frustrating that we couldn’t help more. I knew another person years ago who was told by his doctor that if he didn’t quit smoking his heart was going to give out. He didn’t stop. His heart did.

Even worse, though, is someone with spiritual heart disease that can be healed by the Great Physician but they won’t allow Him to help. David said in Psalm 139:23, “Search me, O God, and know my heart…” Have you allowed God to examine your heart lately?

See you when the saints meet, Lord willing.

Love, Tony