The Heart

 Another daily devotional email sent to "my girls," two weeks ago:

I read from Genesis chapters 24-27 today. Here is recorded the events surrounding Jacob's deception of his father Isaac, by trickery obtaining the blessing intended for the firstborn son. Previously, Esau had sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. The family of Isaac is plagued with jealousies, injustice, favoritism, deception, hatred, and murderous intentions. By today's standards, this family would be dysfunctional indeed! Yet, they are the chosen lineage for Israel and Christ himself, and God uses them for his glory in spite of their woeful shortcomings.

As we've been mentioning in the last few emails, we see again here that the problem with this family is not external, but internal. Their hearts had grown affectionate for worldly ideas, and sin had crept in and taken a stronghold. Isaac favored Esau. Rebekah favored Jakob. Esau disrespected his honorable position and responsibility as firstborn. Jacob sneaked around, stealing and deceiving to get what he wanted. Rebekah assisted in lying to her own husband. Esau threatened to murder his own twin brother. All of these sins come from the heart.

It is so easy to lose perspective of the "big picture." We struggle with sin every moment of every day. But even as the Lord redeemed the line of Abraham and Isaac, so he redeems us and pardons our sins. Shame leads to repentance, which in turn restores a beautiful, intimate friendship with the highest, most sovereign, most terrifying and wonderful God of all that is. See here, in Isaiah 55:6-7:

"Seek the Lord while he may be found;
    call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake his way,
    and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
    and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

Take heart! Isaiah 56:1-2 says,
Thus says the Lord:
“Keep justice, and do righteousness,
for soon my salvation will come,
    and my righteousness be revealed.
Blessed is the man who does this,
    and the son of man who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath*, not profaning it,
    and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

[*keeping the Sabbath was a covenant sign that represented an entire lifestyle devoted to serving the Lord, including both secret thoughts and outward deeds]

Notice the Lord says to put away evil thoughts, then evil deeds? The one produces the other. As it was with Isaac and Rebekah, and their sons, who each entertained selfish thoughts, deceitful thoughts, jealous thoughts, grudging thoughts, so it goes with us. Humans haven't changed much through throughout the ages, really.

Now, then--as we seek to dwell on pure, lovely, holy, beautiful, kind, inspiring, magnificent things, here is a poem for you today, as you cultivate within yourself the beauty that cannot be stolen away, the beauty that will someday permeate your own home with an infectious joy and blessedness to all who enter your door:

"Lord, let our house be something more
than just a shelter with a door;
May its windows gleam with light,
Shedding radiance through the night.
Not just a glitter of glass and chrome,
But give it the "feel" of a happy home.

Let it have flowers, a well-loved book,
Soft cushions in a quiet nook.
May it be more than a downy bed,
Or snowy cloth with silver spread;
Lend it some smiles, warm sympathy,
With kindly thought, true charity--
That all may recall, though far they roam,
That God was there--in the heart of home."

              -----Christine White, "Heart of Home"