Jesus Christ deserves raw, open, and ugly beating hearts on fire for His. Not because they are beautiful but because of the refining process He will take us through. That's what's beautiful.
“But all they gave Him was lip service; they lied to Him with their tongues.” Psalms 78:37 (NLT)
I’m wearing the cutest denim jumpsuit, freshly purchased from JC Penny’s. My blond hair peaks out from behind my ears, and the braid my mom attempted gently falls out.
“Can I have that toy?” I ask my Grandma Memo. My lip begins to quiver.
“Not today,” Memo ushers. “But maybe someday.”
“Okay,” I utter in defeat, sulking away and crafting a plan.
Twenty minutes later, my three-year-old fingers have hidden the toy in my coat. I don’t remember feeling guilty until my mom found out. She marched me straight back to Memo’s house and made me confess. I gave her lip service, but my heart was far from sincere.
Our Sinful Nature
No one has to teach children to lie, steal, and manipulate their way into getting what they desire. It’s human nature, the divide between flesh and spirit. These habits, however, should change as we grow, mature, and receive Jesus. We learn to honor Christ with word and deed. Not because we’re saved through what we do, but because our lives should reflect His transformative power within us.
Psalms 78 reminds us that even God’s people were good at appearing to trust and serve God. Timelessly, they’d confess their allegiance only to complain, ignore, and turn against the God they claimed to know and love. They would remember God, only to fall back into sin (vs.1-38). Yet, His faithful love and forgiveness remained (vs. 38). The Israelites weren't the only ones.
In Genesis, Adam and Eve were in perfect harmony with God. Sin entered the world when Satan offered them another way and they accepted his enticement (Romans 5:12; Genesis 3).
In 2 Samuel, David is called "a man after God's own heart," but sinful desire and passion overtake that title. Quickly, David has an affair and kills an innocent man in an attempt to cover his sins (1 Samuel 13:14; 2 Samuel 12:9-10).
If these scenarios seem crazy to you, just look around the world we live. Affairs, disobedience, murder, and sin are the norm because this place is not our home. We are but a vapor passing through. The earthly vessel we're contained within is temporary. It points to a greater place beyond ourselves.
Romans 8:22 explains this phenomenon: "We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time" (NIV).
Encouragement for Those Who've Fallen
Friends, we are human. Even with God’s saving grace, sometimes we stumble and fall. There will be times when we say one thing and do another. The Apostle Paul says it this way: “For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Romans 7:15-20, NIV).
Even though it's been twenty-five years since that incident as a child, it's never left me. Not because what I attempted to steal was that valuable, but because the person I stole it from is worth more than gold. The same applies to our relationship with God.
In Matthew 5:37, Jesus says it's better to let your "yes," mean "yes," and your "no," mean "no," than to make promises and vows to the Lord.
"Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord. But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one" (Matthew 5:33-37, Berean Standard Bible).
Friends, if you're reading this post and have fallen, be encouraged.
We all mess up.
We all have seasons when we stray away from Christ.
We all experience times when we offer lip service rather than our hearts.
We all can learn a lesson from those who walked before us.
We all can begin again.
A Prayer to Walk the Talk
It won't always be easy, but take heart and cling to hope. Every day is a fresh start. A new place we can try and try again.
We can ask God to replace our stony hearts and make us white as snow. We can ask God to help us honor Him in Word and deed. We can go to Him with lifted hands and bowed heads, knowing He hears and sees us even when we've messed up.
Jesus Christ deserves more than lip service.
Jesus Christ deserves more than empty words that sound good but mean absolutely nothing.
Jesus Christ deserves raw, open, and ugly beating hearts on fire for His. Not because they are beautiful but because of the refining process He will take us through. That's what's beautiful.
"And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God'" (Zechariah 13:9, ESV).
Let Us Pray
Heavenly Father, it's my prayer that we will offer you more than lip service in the way we live our lives. Not because we have anything to prove but because it's what you deserve. You are worthy of it all, Lord. You are good, holy, and faithful. We praise and thank you for the way you take our sins and wash them white as snow. We praise and thank you, precious Jesus, for the way you look past our flaws because you believe in our future.
From this day forward, help us to honor you in word and deed. Let our "yes," be "yes," and our "no," be "no". Let us not be wayward in following you.
And though we will stumble and fall, lift our weary heads and help us begin again. Pick us up, and place us in the refiner's fire. Not because you're ashamed of us but because you love us too much to leave us where you found us.
We love you, Lord. Please transform our hearts, minds, and souls. Let others see you in us. Be with us today and always.
In Jesus' Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Agape, Amber
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