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?