Matters of the Heart

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7

When the Heart is Not in It


Girlfriends, I apologize...I did not write to you yesterday. :-( That's my sad face, in case you are not up with the techno lingo and wondering why I am typing random characters mid-sentence! And for those of you whose intelligence I just offended, I apologize again!

I wondered when I started this blog what I would do on days like yesterday, jammed pack with so much activity leaving me too exhausted to think. I figured I could always write a little something, no matter what my schedule contained. I made an attempt last night, placing today's key verse at the top of the page; however, when no further cohesive thoughts came, I sensed God leading me away from the computer and back to the couch, resting beside my son and reading instead of writing. My heart longed for recuperation rather than revelation.

EKGs

After attending yesterday's morning Bible study, I volunteered for Young Hearts 4 Life. Our local high school students came to the gym to have their hearts examined with a free EKG. My role included correctly placing the "stickies" on the student, attaching the lead wires, and reassuring them through the painless process. This simple procedure helps identify persons at risk for sudden cardiac death.

Young Hearts 4 Life website states that more than 7,000 youngsters under age 18 die from undetected heart conditions each year. Surprising to me, many of the day's volunteers have personal experiences that endear them to the project. One young girl working near me was a former student and volleyball player whose heart stopped in 2007. Personnel performed CPR and used a defibrillator to revive her. Looking at her now, I had no idea of the trauma she suffered or that she has an internal defibrillator implanted in her chest.

Another man at the table next to me lost his son a year ago when his enlarged heart caused sudden cardiac arrest. The boy, by all outward appearances healthy and fit, ran cross country and collapsed. This short and noninvasive test could have saved his life. I am grateful for the volunteers and sponsors who made yesterday possible and am happy that my daughter participated in the screening, as we take for granted the conditions of our own and our children's hearts.

Testing the Heart

In today's key verse, God also reminds us that we are not to be fooled by physical looks when it comes to examining the condition of the heart. While my examples above relate to physical health, the Lord is referring to the spiritual state of the heart. Samuel's task was to anoint a new king, and David's stature and appearance paled in comparison to his brothers. God instructed Samuel to keep inquiring, passing over seven of Jesse's sons, until he sent for young David, who tended to sheep. God saw David's heart condition, not his size, age, or vocation. Because of God's insight and instruction, we know David not only as a great leader, from whose lineage came Jesus, but also by the nickname "a man after God's own heart."

Yet, David himself recognized the value of heart check-ups. We know from David's writings in Psalms that he desired the Lord, his Great Physician, to inspect, discover, diagnose and direct his heart that he may be forgiven and counted righteous.

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV)

Although a chosen man of God, David existed in a fallen world, and as such, his heart was not perfect.

You, God, know my folly; my guilt is not hidden from you. Psalm 69:5 (NIV)

A leak here, a murmur there, and suddenly David's entire being was affected. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and was responsible for her husband's placement in battle which resulted in death. He took a census rather than trusting in God's provision. Because of blood by his hands, he was not permitted to build the temple. Still David sought his Lord and cried out to Him regularly. God was his internal pacemaker, his defibrillator, shocking David's heart back into rhythm. Despite imperfections, because he regularly submitted to God's heart examinations and prescriptions, David was saved from eternal death by the renewing of his heart. 

A Different EKG

Girlfriends, God wants to give you what David received--a new heart, a clean heart, a healed heart, a healthy, vibrant, God-loving and people-serving heart. Won't you make an appointment with Him today? No referrals or pre-authorizations necessary; no paperwork to file; no co-pays or bills in the mail. Jesus paid the cost, His blood, and free of charge, you get the benefit: an EKG--the Eternal Kingdom of God.

Won't you open your heart and let Him in...
 ...Today, if only you would hear his voice, Do not harden your hearts...Psalm 95:7-8