We have a deer problem. The deer come into our yard and eat our plants . . . until the plants appear to be sticks coming out of the ground. The thing is . . . these deer are not afraid of human beings . . . they are so accustomed to human interaction that they stand and stare at our attempts to move them out of the yard. The battle is not over.
Deer do not belong in neighborhoods. Deer are not supposed to feel comfortable with human beings. But they do! Likewise, human beings find themselves in places of life that they do not belong; however, they find themselves increasingly comfortable in that place of life. When you get down to it, life is a series of choices that define and drive how we live.
John wrote about a man that was defined and driven by an illness for 38 years. Jesus made him well:
But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, "Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you." (John 5:15, NLT)
Jesus made it clear that sin would interrupt the healed man's well-being. The thing is, sin is not a list of "wrongs" and "things not to do." Sin is a state of being, a heart condition. In spiritual terms, the heart is the innermost part of our being that defines who we are and drives or motivates what we do. Sin cuts off the flow of life from the heart, leaving it weakened and ineffective.
As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the person. (Proverbs 27: 19, NLT)
There is no question that the man who had been sick for 38 years experienced an incredible healing; however, there was a question if he would remain well. The man had to make some choices . . . to live healthy or unhealthy . . . to allow the encounter with Jesus to lead to transformation . . . or to revert back being defined and driven by an illness that separated him from Life.
Evaluate the condition of your heart.
Are you defined and driven by the presence, peace, and power of Christ?
Is your spiritual heart healthy?
Is your heart filled with Life, the presence of Christ?
Are there any areas of your heart cut off from the flowing presence of Life?
Are you defined and driven by the presence and power of sin in any area of your life? In other words, have you experienced weakness and/or ineffectiveness in specific areas of your life?
Surrender what needs to be surrendered. Change what needs to be changed. Pursue living healthy and whole through the presence, peace, and power of Christ, God with us.
Learning with you to live fully and wholly defined and driven by Christ,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
