God tests the heart

A few months ago my doctor referred me to a cardiologist for a stress test. As my previous stress test nearly killed me (I was totally unfit), I decided to delay the test for a month and prepare. This preparation consisted of countless mornings on the treadmill watching the monitors, checking my heart rate till I knew I would make it through the test in one piece.

Praise God I passed the test with flying colours and have been given a clean bill of health. My arteries, valves, chambers, muscles, in fact, all areas of my heart are functioning normally. It made me think, though, if we take the same care and preparation with our spiritual heart. Proverbs encourages us "to guard our hearts for it is the well spring of life."

God is also interested in our heart's condition for the bible tells us that God examines the spiritual heart of a person to see if it is functioning normally. Like our physical heart, God also knows that our spiritual heart condition is best revealed under pressure; through the situations and circumstances of life.

The test of a person's heart is revealed in our response to God's Word. Although not specifically mentioning the heart, the parable of the sower reveals the inner heart response to God. The first soil or heart attitude was completely unresponsive; it was hardened, it could not produce anything beneficial. The second was superficial; it looked OK at rest but when stress came it failed. The third is referred to as a worldly heart; it is distracted by other things and fails to fulfill it's true function. The last heart is the heart that God desires for us; a receptive heart where we may not be perfect but we have a desire to please God and fulfill all that he has for us to do.

Let's make sure both our physical and spiritual hearts are healthy and functioning the way that God desires.

Roy Barrett
Pastor