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Almost every time we visit the doctor, our heart is checked. If our heart is malfunctioning, it will affect the health of our entire body, and can lead to serious medical complications, even death. In the least, we will not be able to function up to the best of our abilities.
In the spiritual realm, out heart is also vital to good health – that is the heart which resides deep within the soul. It is most telling that God Himself checks our hearts. Jeremiah (17:9-10) writes that "The heart is more deceitful than all else, and is desperately sick." This would be a heart left to its own devices and not influenced by God. A heart devoted to the Lord would be more likely to choose the good over the evil. The popular mantra of today to "follow your heart" when that heart is not devoted to the Lord is a very dangerous path to follow.
Jeremiah continues writing that the Lord searches hearts and tests minds, and He does this with the purpose of giving "to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds." Our lifestyle and actions reveal what's in our heart. It can be no other way.
Peter is an excellent example of this truth. When Jesus told the apostles that they would all forsake Him (Matthew 26:31-35), Peter was most adamant in pledging his loyalty to Jesus: "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away." Almost in the next breath he said: "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You." Later, as we know, he fled like the other disciples and even denied that he knew Jesus. His actions revealed His heart. It was not in the spiritual place Peter thought it was.
In the law of Moses, the Lord placed a commandment which would test the hearts of His people. In Leviticus (19:9-10), the Lord gives the Israelites directives about the harvesting of their crops and orchards. He tells them "when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field." This was to be done so that the needy and the stranger could then come in and get what was left behind for themselves. Now, here's the heart check in the command: Just how close to the corners of your field do you harvest? Ten feet? Twenty? Fifty? One hundred? How much do you leave for the needy? This is the heart check. Just how compassionate am I, and how much do I love my neighbor?
Most of us want God to make these kinds of decisions for us. "Just tell me what to do." But God won't do that. Some will point to the "tithe" of the law of Moses, but they forget that the Lord also provided for freewill offerings and thank offerings. Hmmm? Where is your heart?
The Lord is testing hearts. He is testing yours and mine. What do I do with my time? My money? My skills and abilities? My prayers? My words? My life?
The Lord is testing hearts. What is the condition of yours? Mine? How close to the corners of your fields do you reap? Hmmm?