The Thoughts of The Heart Revealed

12-31-23

Hoonah-Hadley

Luke 2:22-40

Call to Worship Psalm 148

Daily Verse Luke 2:35

Not even a week removed from the celebration of the greatest birthday ever, these messages are often titled, “What Now?” We are left with the task of returning items that don’t fit, filling the trash bin with the aftermath of a culture bent on unnecessary, wasteful indulgence. Perhaps I’m spending too much time with Tozer and Spurgeon to be profitable to the one that had to return the sweater because the kind employee at the department store didn’t remove the security ink thing. The what? Those of us given to splitting firewood by hand aren’t privy to such things. We’re not too happy to have to return an item for any reason, but it sure is a fine opportunity for our hearts to be revealed. I may be missing something, but it seems we’ve gone horribly wrong with a culture that needs to attach an item to a garment that will basically ruin it if it is stolen. In my travels I see the parking lots full of shoppers before and after our Lord’s birthday celebration. I can only be grateful that my afternoon hike, the narrow gate, the trail ahead will leave me in quiet solitude with my Maker that set my heart to beating, the One that breathed life into my lungs that I might take a closer walk with Thee. Robert Frost nailed it with “The Road Not Taken”. We have other quotes along the way that may or may not be fitting, like, “observe the masses and do the opposite”. Or “Any dead fish can go with the flow; it takes a strong swimmer to go against the current.”  Vs. 34 “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many.” Two roads diverged in a yellow wood and I, I…

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In the old hardback book titled “The Poetry of Robert Frost”, his famous “The Road Not Taken” is followed by the tell-tale classic “Christmas Trees”. It begins like this: “The city had withdrawn into itself and left at last the country to the country…there drove a stranger to our yard, who looked the city. …He proved to be the city come again, to look for something it had left behind.”  We’ll leave the rest of that one for those who’ve taken the road less traveled, but the sharing of it has revealed the thoughts of my heart and the reading of it has revealed yours. Psalm 139:1-4 “Lord, You have searched me and know me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thoughts from afar. You comprehend my path and my lying down. And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, there is nothing hidden that won’t be revealed. 

Read Psalm 139 in its entirety, it’s one of the most blessed gifts given humanity. Truth, we are forever in His presence, not only physically, but even our thoughts, the contents of our hearts. Oh boy, we got trouble in paradise now.  Proverbs 23:7 “As a man thinketh, so is he.”  God’s word teaches many things. Faith is a big one. Trust.  Belief.  Obedience.  But how often do we consider our thoughts? Quick story, you know the car ramp things you can buy at the parts store?  The things you drive your car up on so you can change the oil? I always thought they were cool, that I needed a set of them but for whatever reason I couldn’t bring myself to buy them. I didn’t pray about it, seems a silly thing to trouble God with. I live in the country and use to walk east along the road early Sunday mornings and pick up trash, it’s a mile to the next house, a quiet country road.  Our property extends about half that distance on the south side going east.

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One morning just off the road in the edge of the woods on our property were two old steel car ramps. Strangest thing.  Just something I thought about. Don’t ask me.  Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God’s heart reveals His thoughts. Are we not created in His image, in His likeness?  Has He not given us His Son, His Spirit, that we might be filled to all the fullness of His glory? That He might be in us, we in Him?  Have you thought about God’s thoughts lately?  “What is man that You are mindful of him and the son of man that you care for him?”  (Psalm 8:4) His thoughts are toward us, thoughts of peace, hope. Sara thought, Jacob thought, Moses thought, David thought, Job thought. 

Prov. 14:15 “But a prudent man gives thought to his steps.” 21:29 “But an upright man gives thought to his ways.”  Psalm 139:17 “How precious to me are your thoughts, Oh God!”  In truth, in its simplicity, we are God’s mission, His ministry, His children, His friends, He is our Father, He cares for us, loves us, forgives us, redeems us, gave His Son for us.  He teaches us, corrects us, rebukes us, cleanses us, prepares a place for us, made a covenant with us, we are the apple of His eye, He hides us under the shadow of His wings. (Psalm 17:8) “A man’s heart plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps.”  (Prov. 16:9) Now there’s a thought.  Meditation is a synonym of “thought”. Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:1-3 might otherwise read, “blessed is the one that thinks about the Lord day and night.”  We cannot stress enough the authority our “thinking” has in our lives. In this technology age with an endless supply of information instantly at our fingertips we have a culture that is literally lost in thought.  If we don’t stand for something, we’ll fall for anything.  Gandi: “Your beliefs become your thoughts…thoughts become words, words…actions,

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“…actions habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.”  What does that destiny look like? What’s the old saying, “you made your bed, now lie in it.”  In other words, we have to accept the consequences of our actions. What is it that we allow into our hearts, mind, and soul?  It is nearly impossible in today’s world to not hear, see or think about some worthless garbage that influences our thoughts.  In order that we might harness Psalm 1:1-3 we need to be intentional, deliberate and uncompromising about what we allow into our thoughts. 

Scrolling through our “smart” phones (not wise) is a disease that is robbing humanity of the very thing that God sets before us, namely, freedom in Christ.  Luke 2:25 “And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout…and the Holy Spirit was upon him.”  Devout: Earnest, sincere. What was he doing?  “waiting for the consolation of Israel.”  He wasn’t just twiddling his thumbs, pacing the floor. He was just and devout, he was “waiting”. He was meditating, praying, trusting, thinking.  When the parents brought in the Christ Child “he took Him up in his arms, blessed God and said: ‘…For my eyes have seen your salvation…’”  Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending reckless love of God.  “A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles.”  “Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary…’Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many…”  The good news, bad news. Scripture moves quickly from “good tidings of great joy” to this, “yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul that the thoughts of many will be revealed.”  Wherever Jesus Christ comes He is never without influence, a weighty result is produced.  There is a power about this Holy Child that is always in operation. 

Herein The Thoughts of Your Heart Are Revealed.  Take the road less traveled.

Amen.