Excavating the Heart

There are many things I do not know and there are many things I cannot explain; but of this I am sure:  God is alive and His Word is Truth.   There are some who deny there is a God and refer to the Bible as “just a story” or even “a fable,” but as time passes, archaeological discoveries continue to discredit the claims of unbelievers and prove that the Bible is historically accurate.  Psalm 85:11 tells us, “Truth shall spring out of the earth,” and in case after case, evidence is uncovered from deep within the ground that confirms what we read on the pages of God’s Word.  I am reminded of when Jesus prayed to His Father saying, “Sanctify them by your truth.  Your word is Truth” (John 17:17).

I find biblical archaeology to be fascinating.  I enjoy reading reports of newly found cities that were once believed to be nonexistent.  I like looking at pictures of roads where the feet of Old Testament men and women would have stepped and buildings that would have been their homes.  I am encouraged when I see evidence of a past civilization’s belief in God through the discovery of biblical writings and places of worship.  My faith is strengthened when I see pictures of the crumbled walls of Jericho and chariot wheels deep within the waters of the Red Sea.

As these archaeological digs uncover biblical history and confirm the Scriptures I think about present day Christian evidences.  More specifically, I think about the heart of a Christian.  Imagine with me for a moment:  if your heart were the site of an “archaeological” dig; what would be found there that would confirm your Christianity?  What discoveries would be made that would bring someone to the conclusion that “surely this person—the owner of this heart—was indeed a follower of Christ?”

If your heart were the site of a dig, would God’s Law be found written on its walls?  “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be My people” (Jeremiah 31:33).  God has always intended for His laws to be carried in the hearts of His people: whether written on tablets of stone or written on the pages of the New Testament.  The New Law, which replaces the Old, is a covenant that God has made with all people, everywhere, and those who follow it are characterized by spiritual faithfulness—not perfection—but faithfulness.  The Law becomes “written on our hearts” when we hear God’s Word and respond to it in love and faithful obedience.

If your heart were the site of a dig, would the characteristics of God’s dwelling place be revealed?  “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of Heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands” (Acts 17:24).  “…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…” (Ephesians 3:17).  In the days of the Old Testament, the only person who had direct access to God was the high priest.  He alone could enter the Holy of Holies and be in the presence of God.  With the death of Christ on the cross, that privilege became available to all people as the veil separating the Holy of Holies was symbolically torn from top to bottom.  The lampstand would be the light of His Word, the incense would be the sweet aroma of our prayers rising up to Heaven, the showbread would be our regular communion with God in memory of His Son’s death, the sacrifice would be the offering of the body of Jesus one time for all, and God would no longer dwell in a temple, or even in the Holy of Holies, but rather in the hearts of His people. 

If your heart were the site of a dig, would the evidence show that it had been closely guarded?  “Keep your heart with all diligence.  For out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).   Jesus told His disciples that “those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man” (Matthew 15:18).  In other words, impurity originates in the heart.  As Christians we must guard our hearts because, ultimately, the thoughts that originate there will determine our actions, which will in turn determine our habits, which will in turn determine our character.  David prayed that God would create in him a “clean heart” (Psalm 51:10).   A clean heart must be protected from the world.  We can protect our hearts through prayer (Philippians 4:6-7) and meditation on God’s Word (Psalm 119:9, Philippians 4:8). 

The hearts of Christians today should give testimony to the Word of God.  The very center of who we are: our thoughts, our emotions, and our will should be reflective of Christ.  We must ask ourselves, “Are our hearts an affirmation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  Do they reflect our Faith?”  If your heart were a dig site, what would be found there?

A Lady of the Lamp

She is a 'ministering angel' without any exaggeration in these hospitals, and as her slender form glides quietly along each corridor, every poor fellow's face softens with gratitude at the sight of her. When all the medical officers have retired for the night and silence and darkness have settled down upon those miles of prostrate sick, she may be observed alone, with a little lamp in her hand, making her solitary rounds.

Those words were printed in the British newspaper, The Times, in reference to Florence Nightingale, a woman remembered today as the founder of modern nursing.  During the Crimean War she became known as “The Lady of the Lamp,” because she would make her hospital rounds at night, carrying a small lantern and caring for wounded soldiers.

Florence Nightingale made it her mission in life to serve the hurting and the dying.  She was not of the sick, but she was sent to work in hospitals among the sick to provide them with help and hope.  She indeed was a “Lady of the Lamp:” A light shining in the darkness.

When Pilate questioned Jesus about the accusations brought against Him, Jesus answered by saying “My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36).   Jesus was speaking about Heaven—the place of citizenship for the Christian (Phillipians 3:20)—our focus, our hope, and our motivation while living on earth.  In the book of James we read that our lives are “a vapor, that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”  (James 4:14).  Our time here is short, and we endure the pain, the suffering, the trials, knowing that these “light afflictions” are momentary and are preparing an eternal glory for us to which nothing else can compare.  (2 Corinthians 4:17). 

We are to be a separate people, knowing that we do not belong to this world or live according to its values.  It is equally important to remember that we have been given a command to go into the world to preach the Gospel.  As Florence Nightingale was sent into hospitals to care for the sick, we have been sent into the world to save the lost.

So here we are, in this world, with the divine charge not to be conformed to it (Romans 12:2), but also enlisted with the commission to go into the world and bring people to Jesus (Matthew 28:20).

Is it possible to go into the world and not be of the world?

It’s what Jesus did.

It’s what He prayed for His disciples, present and future.

Jesus recognized that His disciples, like Him, are not of the world, but in His prayer just before His arrest, Jesus did not ask God to take His disciples out of the world, rather He asked that while they are here they may be kept from the “evil one” and be unified in Him so that others may believe.

As a mother, I want to shield my children from the evils of this world.  I want to protect their little hearts as long as I can.  However, it is also my responsibility to teach my children how to live in this world as a Christian.  I need to teach them how to be different and how to be approachable; how to resist temptation and how to shine in darkness; how to be separate and how to approach the lost…all at the same time.   I have to prepare my children, and myself, to go into the world so we can bring others out of the world, while fighting the influences of the devil and remaining unified in Christ.

How do I do that?  The answer is this:  Through faithful study and application of God’s Word.   The Word is what makes us different; the Word is what transforms us; the Word is what separates us from the world.  For us to go into the world but remain apart from the world, we must be fully armed for spiritual battle everyday through our knowledge of, and faithful obedience to the Word of God.  We can either go into the world and be negatively influenced by it, or we can go into the world and be a positive influence to those around us by showing them the love of Christ through the Gospel message. 

I want to be a “Lady of the Lamp.”  I want to be a light shining in the darkness.  I want to be someone who brings hope to the hurting.  I want to be close enough to the sick that they can see the light reflecting on my face and see the love of Christ.  I want to be in situations where I can take a stand for what is right.  I want the warmth and brightness of my lamp to draw people closer to God.  I want to be recognized in the world by my light.  I want to shine so that people know where to find me and be close enough for them to reach out and touch me.   I want others to see me coming and know that I am someone who can offer help. 

I imagine Florence Nightingale walking down a dark hall of the hospital with her lamp, caring for the sick lined up along the walls.  I picture a wounded man at the end of hall watching the little flicker of light from her lamp and knowing that help was coming, yearning for the touch of the nurse. I pray that God will make me a “Lady of the Lamp;” that He will help me shine as I go out into this world and instill within me the sincere and loving desire to bring others out.

The Unbroken Net

Jesus came to Earth, lived a life completely free of sin, died a cruel death on the cross of Calvary, rose from the grave in a triumphant return to His throne in Heaven and fulfilled what had been God’s plan since the beginning: to provide man with the opportunity for salvation.  The Gospel, the “good news” of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, is what gives us hope for eternal life in Heaven.

There are two stories told in the books of Luke and John that are among my favorites, especially when read together, because they paint a beautiful picture of the friendship between Jesus and Peter.  The first account is found in Luke 5:1-11 and the second is in John 21:1-11.  Recently, as I read these stories again, I discovered a powerful metaphor involving a fishermen’s net and the all-sufficient power of the Gospel. 

In the first verse of Luke 5, we find Jesus standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret.  He stepped into the boat of Simon Peter, who had fished all night with his partners, James and John.  Jesus asked Peter to take the boat out a little from the land and He sat down and began to teach the crowds from the boat.  When Jesus stopped speaking, He said to Peter, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”  Peter explained to Jesus that they had been fishing all night long and had caught nothing, but he agreed to let down the net. 

“And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.”  (Luke 5:6, emp. added)

The catch was so great that the net could not hold the fish.  Another boat had to come out and help carry the load to shore and, even then, the boat began to sink under the weight of the fish!  Peter, in his astonishment, fell on the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”  Jesus answered Peter saying, “Do not be afraid.  From now on you will catch men.”  After bringing their boats to the land, the fishermen left everything and followed Jesus.

Turning over to the book of John, chapter 21 beginning in verse one, we find Jesus, after His resurrection, standing by the Sea of Tiberias.  Again, Peter and some of Jesus’ disciples had been fishing through the night and had caught nothing.  When they returned to the shore, Jesus stood there, but they did not recognize Him.  Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”  They answered Him, “No.”  He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”  When they did as He instructed the net became so full of fish that they were not able to draw it back into the boat.  At that moment, knowing there is only one who can call up the fish from the sea—the same one who miraculously filled their empty fishing nets once before—John cried out, “It is the Lord!”

Peter, hearing that it was Jesus, put on his outer garment and plunged into the sea.  Jesus—his Master, his Teacher, his Friend—was alive!  He swam to His Savior, not able to wait on the boat to make its return to shore.  What a beautiful picture of love and devotion!

When the disciples approached Jesus, He said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”

“Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken.”  (John 21:11, emp. added)

In the first story, think of the net as the Old Covenant.  At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, in Luke chapter 5, the net in the hands of the fishermen was the Law of Moses, an imperfect Law in that it could not grant salvation.  It was a “net” that would break under the strain of sin.  

When Jesus called His followers to be fishers of men, He began weaving together an unbreakable net that would be placed in their hands at the time of His death.  With the words, “It is finished,” Jesus gave up His spirit on the cross and established the New Covenant, one of promise and of life, and the Old Covenant was made obsolete.  Where the Old Covenant was broken and could not remove sin through the blood of bulls and goats, the New Covenant is complete, offering purification and sanctification for sinners through the blood of Jesus Christ.

This was the net that the resurrected Lord gave to His disciples, the net described in the John 21, and one that Christians continue to hold today:  the soul-saving Gospel of Jesus Christ…the net that cannot be broken.  The words of the Lord rise from the pages of the Bible and call out to us today, “Cast the net!”

A New Perspective

I love the church.  As the body of Christ, it is where salvation is found.  As the family of God, it is where encouragement and comfort are shared.  As the kingdom of God, it is where my hope for eternity rests. Yes, I have a deep and sincere love for the church, but I have to ask myself this question, “Do people in the world around me see that love reflected in my life?”  I couldn’t stop thinking about this the other night after the memory of a pickle woke me from my sleep.

You’ve seen the jars.  They are typically found in gas stations, near the cash register, with a sharpie written price tag taped to the front.  With their Martian colored liquid and floating oval shaped specimens, the glass containers look as if they belong on the shelves of a secret laboratory and not on the counters of Kangaroo Express and Mapco.  I’ve never had the slightest urge to buy one of those big, green pickles…until last week.

It had been a long day.  Our Spring Break trip to New Orleans was coming to an end and we were spending our last day exploring areas of the French Quarter.  Following our third consecutive breakfast of beignets and cafe lattes at Café Du Monde, we enjoyed a wonderful tour of the Quarter then walked to the French Market for souvenir shopping.

We were hot.  We were tired.  We were hungry.  At one point, in the middle of the market, I distinctly remember thinking, “It’s time for us to stop and take a break;” and that’s when I saw the pickle.

Dressed in a little white napkin skirt and held in the hand of a happy tourist walking in front of us, the pickle looked anything but threatening.  It was already missing a bite or two from the top and its consumer appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the experience.  She laughed as she snacked, casually wiping pickle juice from her chin, and shared a bite with a child.  As I watched the lady eat her pickle, I found myself wondering how it might taste.  Sour?  Crunchy?  Delicious?

The gas station delicacies that I formerly regarded with suspicion suddenly became interesting!  In the heat of the New Orleans sun, with exhausted children, and an empty stomach, my perception of the pickles changed because of a stranger.  In that moment, as I stood between tables of leather purses and hand-carved wooden puzzles…I began to crave a big, green pickle.

Thinking about that day I am reminded that you never know who might be watching you and who might be searching for something you have.   What a difference we could make, as Christians, if we would remember this when it comes to the church! 

For some people, church is like a jar of pickles at the gas station—it holds no appeal to them, it’s something questionable, something a little odd, something they just don’t think they need.  But, the time will come when they catch a glimpse of one of those pickles in the real world and that could be a perception changing moment!

Here is what I learned from the lady with the pickle in New Orleans that I believe we can apply to the church:

She invested time and money in the pickle.  She waited in line and when her turn came to place an order, she willingly—happily—gave the amount required to purchase her pickle.

She handled her purchase with care.  She placed the pickle in a napkin, but not haphazardly!  The napkin looked somewhat like an ice-cream cone holder, wrapped around the pickle and then twisted at the bottom into a point.  All she had to do was push up the pickle as she ate, and her hand and arm stayed drip free. 

She enjoyed her treat.  You could see it in her face!  She was eating her snack of choice and it was clear that she loved every bite.   

She shared it with others.  At least a couple of times she received a tug on her sleeve when one of the little people with her wanted a bite.  She would gladly give a taste and then offer some to those who hadn’t even asked!

She disregarded the opinions of pickle doubters.  She didn’t care if people with a disdain for pickles surrounded her in the French Market.  She proudly ate her pickle regardless of what others might have thought.

I hope that when others look at me, they see someone who invests her time and money in the church, someone who treats the church with care, someone who enjoys the church, someone who is willing to share the message of the church—the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and someone who stands up for the church despite the efforts of the world to bring it down.  Even more, I hope that there will be moments when my love for the church is seen through my actions, and someone—even a complete stranger—will be inspired to seek that joy in their own lives.

You might be wondering if I bought a pickle that day in the market?  I didn’t.  I bought a King Cake Snowball.  But I left the market with a new perspective because of the lady with the big, green pickle.  Without even knowing it, she reached up, took the pickle jar off the laboratory shelf, and placed it on a countertop in my world.  I don’t look at those jars and cringe anymore, instead, I think about the lady in the market with pickle juice on her chin and a smile on her face.  And someday…I just might buy one.