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.