A Clean Desk and Heart

I'm a procrastinator. I've known this for 40 years or more. Although there have been brief periods when I have been organized and on task, 95% of the time I am not. Knowing this should help. At least I'm aware. But it is a battle.

This week I tackled a long overdue task at home and I feel relieved and empowered. I see progress...and the top of my desk, for the first time in a long while.

My life, like my desk, is often cluttered with stuff I really don't need. It hinders my clarity. Also, I stuff things into the corners of my heart (and desk drawers) as if being out of sight is a good thing. Its not good at all. I have to dig down, sort through it all and clean out the mess. Then there is freedom and clarity to enjoy the blessings and to accomplish even more.  Once I've dealt with the pile of junk, I feel lighter. I gain joy.

I want this work to continue and to increase. By God's grace and His strength, it will.

Thankfully, in addition to the power of God, I have a few good friends and a patient wife who are on this messy journey with me...walking in the light!

The Heart of Repentance

Although I'm pretty sure no one is listening (or reading ), I'm going to say this out loud, I struggle with sin.  This statement wouldn't come as a shock to those closest to me, because sadly they see it.  What I'm saying is that although God reached into my life 18 years ago and gave me a new heart, there is still some work to do.  And thankfully God is doing that work, day by day.

Not surprisingly, God uses His word to do much of this work.  In addition, He uses others...even those who have been dead many years.  That was the case today. Let me explain.

I have a copy of Charles Spurgeon's daily devotional, Morning & Evening.  I don't read it every day.  Frankly, I don't even read it weekly. But today, I picked it up and read this morning's entry.  The scripture text was Joel 2:13, "Rend your heart and not your garments."  I nearly fell off the sofa.  This is exactly what I needed to hear.  I needed to be reminded about biblical repentance.  Here are Spurgeon's words that really drove the message home for me:

"The text commands us to rend our hearts, but they are naturally hard as marble: how, then, can this be done? We must take them to Calvary: a dying Saviour's voice rent the rocks once, and it is as powerful now. O blessed Spirit, let us hear the death-cries of Jesus, and our hearts shall be rent even as men rend their vestures in the day of lamentation."

So in my mind's eye, I looked to the cross and there was my Savior!

The prophet Joel explains why we can have confidence that our repentance will be accepted by God. Because He is "gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness." What a blessing!

So, it is not in the outward anguish or religious act of kneeling at "an old fashion alter" that signifies our turning away from sin. But rather the heart-level, Spirit induced, honest assertion that our sin is an offense to God's holiness. That we despise this offense and desire, more than anything, to abandon it.

I am thankful for how gracious God is to His children.  He is still doing a work in me.  I'm thankful too for Mr. Spurgeon who, just this morning, pointed me to the heart of repentance.

Our Disturbing World

Recent news stories, along with personal encounters, have caused me to ponder the disturbing nature of our culture. It doesn't take long to see what a mess our world is in. You can hang all the decorations you like, this world is still a broken place. Holiday cheer and blockbuster retail numbers won't cover it up. What's more, you can accuse politicians all day long but they are not to blame.

There is a blatant disregard for morality and virtue. People seem to have no concept of personal responsibility. This is especially prominent in young people. Integrity and honesty are quickly fading into the background.

Of course the root cause is simple to isolate. You will find the beginning of all these woes in Genesis 3. Sin is a terrible thing. It is played out before our eyes daily. And it is disturbing. However, you will also see in Genesis 3 that there is hope.

It is this hope that we celebrate at Christmas. Although Christ Jesus was born in a Bethlehem manger, that is not his beginning. He was promised in Genesis 3:15. This verse is the first announcement of Good News. The angel's announcement on a Bethlehem hillside thousands of years later was really just a reminder.

Into this broken and disturbing world came eternal hope. Hallelujah!