The Compromised Heart
In the last devotion, I told the story of the demolition and reconstruction of the floor of a family member’s RV trailer. The initial symptom was noted as a soft spot in the floor. Upon further investigation, I discovered that the damaged floor structure was widespread, far beyond the original soft spot. Over time, seeping water was hidden within the walls, and slowly creeped into the flooring. Now, most of the living area and kitchen flooring joists and plywood flooring had to be removed and replaced or this very usable travel trailer would cease to serve its purpose.
Rebuilding this structure was a frustrating process. Each time I thought that I had found the full extent of the wood rot damage, I discovered more. Fungi will grow and flourish in a wet or damp area. Once rooted in the wood it will by nature continue to run its terminal course unless action is taken to stop its contamination and compromise of materials.
Sin with all its deception is like the wood rot just described. It takes place in a person’s heart like a small drop of water. Over time, it quietly inhabits a much larger area and brings with it great destruction.
In reading through the history of kings in the Old Testament we see the same scenario play out repeatedly through the generations. God commanded obedience and no compromise in the conquering other nations. Instructions were given to eradicate the practice of false gods. Unfortunately, the incoming kings, for various justifying reasons I am sure, would hold onto the worship of false gods and the contaminating outcomes were always grievous.
God is a jealous God and calls for full devotion to him. When that takes place, blessings are seen and experienced in the outcomes. The word blessing simply means to find favor and protection, do well and to prosper. A blessing is a gift from God Almighty which yields both joy and peace.
Compromise of the heart always brings great grief and destruction. Compromise and consequently contamination of the heart is also a lack of integrity. The word integrity comes from the mathematical word integer, which is the equal sum of all of the parts.
Jesus addressed this very subject when he said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Mt.22:37. He also said, “No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Mt.6:24 God is holy! Holy he is pure, clean, uncontaminated and undefiled. He calls every follower to be Holy as he is Holy. 1 Pet.1:16
Man’s sinful actions are never justified. As humans we can find every reason and excuse to try and make our wrong choices and actions permissible or right. The truth is that sin is sin! All sin has consequences of which we cannot control. Sin must be dealt with as soon as it is discovered. This action is called having a responsive heart. A person’s responsive heart quickly acknowledges sin; repents and then asks God for forgiveness.
I am thankful, that disastrous contamination is not the end of our story. There is hope and a future for all whose hearts have been or are compromised. Jesus came to this earth to set man free from sin. God’s love is seen in the healing of wounded, broken, and diseased hearts. That is what Jesus does.
Isa. 53:4 “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
This process of healing and restoration requires the eliminating of the contaminate sin. This process is called repentance, which means to stop what you are doing and turning towards God. Turning towards something else is not repentance, its compromise. We often look for solace in people and things which has no ability to satisfy our sinful aching hearts.
King David said it this way. “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Ps.32:1-5
You and I have the opportunity to be free from sin which only corrupts. Father God is extending his loving arms to us. He is merciful, He is kind, He is gracious and forgiving. He knows what we are made of and why we do what we do. It’s time to stop covering our own sin. God will not cover what we are covering. Invite the Holy Spirit to reconstruct your broken heart and life. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. It’s a promise!
Rebuilding this structure was a frustrating process. Each time I thought that I had found the full extent of the wood rot damage, I discovered more. Fungi will grow and flourish in a wet or damp area. Once rooted in the wood it will by nature continue to run its terminal course unless action is taken to stop its contamination and compromise of materials.
Sin with all its deception is like the wood rot just described. It takes place in a person’s heart like a small drop of water. Over time, it quietly inhabits a much larger area and brings with it great destruction.
In reading through the history of kings in the Old Testament we see the same scenario play out repeatedly through the generations. God commanded obedience and no compromise in the conquering other nations. Instructions were given to eradicate the practice of false gods. Unfortunately, the incoming kings, for various justifying reasons I am sure, would hold onto the worship of false gods and the contaminating outcomes were always grievous.
God is a jealous God and calls for full devotion to him. When that takes place, blessings are seen and experienced in the outcomes. The word blessing simply means to find favor and protection, do well and to prosper. A blessing is a gift from God Almighty which yields both joy and peace.
Compromise of the heart always brings great grief and destruction. Compromise and consequently contamination of the heart is also a lack of integrity. The word integrity comes from the mathematical word integer, which is the equal sum of all of the parts.
Jesus addressed this very subject when he said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Mt.22:37. He also said, “No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Mt.6:24 God is holy! Holy he is pure, clean, uncontaminated and undefiled. He calls every follower to be Holy as he is Holy. 1 Pet.1:16
Man’s sinful actions are never justified. As humans we can find every reason and excuse to try and make our wrong choices and actions permissible or right. The truth is that sin is sin! All sin has consequences of which we cannot control. Sin must be dealt with as soon as it is discovered. This action is called having a responsive heart. A person’s responsive heart quickly acknowledges sin; repents and then asks God for forgiveness.
I am thankful, that disastrous contamination is not the end of our story. There is hope and a future for all whose hearts have been or are compromised. Jesus came to this earth to set man free from sin. God’s love is seen in the healing of wounded, broken, and diseased hearts. That is what Jesus does.
Isa. 53:4 “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
This process of healing and restoration requires the eliminating of the contaminate sin. This process is called repentance, which means to stop what you are doing and turning towards God. Turning towards something else is not repentance, its compromise. We often look for solace in people and things which has no ability to satisfy our sinful aching hearts.
King David said it this way. “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Ps.32:1-5
You and I have the opportunity to be free from sin which only corrupts. Father God is extending his loving arms to us. He is merciful, He is kind, He is gracious and forgiving. He knows what we are made of and why we do what we do. It’s time to stop covering our own sin. God will not cover what we are covering. Invite the Holy Spirit to reconstruct your broken heart and life. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. It’s a promise!
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