Not My Favorite Scripture

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." Jeremiah 17:9

Ever stop to think about how many ways we use the word heart? Come on, put your heart into it! He's all heart! Bless your heart! She has such a good heart! What a sweetheart! And so on, and so on... We tend to look at our hearts most often with warmth and affection don't we? But what about God? What does He think? After all, he is the one who has his finger on the "pulse" of things anyway, right?

The scripture paints a different picture than the one we like to carry around with us. "Deceitful above all things and desperately wicked." I have to say that Jeremiah 17:9 is not my favorite scripture--how about you? However, I learned a long time ago (and am continuing to learn) that just because I don't like something doesn't mean it isn't good for me. Just because "I'm not feeling it" doesn't mean it's not true. I can't trust my heart all the time. In fact, rarely can I trust the old ticker. That's why I need the Bible. That's why I need prayer and fasting. That's why I need godly mentors. For goodness sake--that's why I need God!

Let's face it. The only good heart is a surrendered heart. Father, forgive me when I keep taking back the very heart that I just finished surrendering to you. I don't deserve you, Lord. But you already know that. I'm the one that always needs reminding.

Remaining Faithful

"If we are faithless, he will remain faithful; for he cannot disown himself."
2 Timothy 2:13

At the beginning of each year it has become my practice to ask the Lord for one specific scripture that will be "my scripture" for that year. In the past I have attempted memorizing so many scriptures at once that I have become frustrated and given up. In my discouragement I felt the Lord speaking, "Why don't you just ask me for one and then build on that?" I did. He answered. Why does that surprise me?

2 Timothy 2:13 was the Lord's choice for me for 2009. It reminds me of how often I am so faithless. How often I ask for faith and direction and then without even waiting for the Lord to speak or act I just move right on with my own agenda. You'd think that after nearly 49 years on this earth I would finally "get it".

My God is so faithful! He just keeps doing what He does best--being himself. He can't help it! That's just who he is. That is such a comfort to me. He is not moved by situations or circumstances (whether they be in the government, the economy, the church or in my own little circle of family and friends).

The scripture says, "...for he cannot disown himself." It seems to me that means that if he were to stop being faithful he would cease being who he is---GOD!

Be encouraged, ladies. The faithfulness of our God is more than enough to see us through any and all trials that WILL come our way. (John 16:33)

Bless you!