Heart Consumption

Jesus does almost too much to keep track of. He is everywhere; He heals an entire country, rebukes an entire religious system, creates disciples, preaches often, and presumably sleeps. Oh, yeah, and He prays a lot too.

"Since it enters not his heart" Mark 7:19.

Jesus is talking about why food is ok to be eaten without the "proper" rituals of the day. But His argument is that physical dirty stuff doesn't enter our spiritual heart, so it cannot morally defile. However, He is implicitly stating that things that are dirty that go into the spiritual heart do defile the man, and He will in the verses following speak of the wickednesses that pour out of a heart that is defiled.

This morning my pastor spoke of God giving to me the greatest gift of them all--Himself. And surely my pastor is right in both respects; God has given us this great gift, and He is the greatest gift of them all. Problem was, I didn't feel like that was true. I know he was right. But in my heart I didn't feel it. This usually indicates a problem when there is a disconnect between my heart and the truth that should affect it. I had no great desire for God Himself.

Jesus is addressing my problem. What have I been putting into my heart? Proverbs 4:23 says to "guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the streams of life." I did not understand that verse till today, because it has a defensive feel to the first half like I am supposed to protect it from without, but the second half is about protected it from itself. Just like Jesus is mentioning. What He says seems to parallel this proverb.

What have I been putting in my heart? Lots of things. A little goofing off. A movie or two. Good conversations about stuff. Deep thoughts on life things--not God but good things. Work. School. Meetings with guys about spiritual stuff. A trip to Maryland next week. Things like that.

But what of great substance have I been putting in? Have I been abiding in the Vine? (cf. John 15) Very little. I was doing stuff, but I was ignoring Him. I was dumping all sorts of nice things into my life and heart. But I did not go to the fountain of living Water. There was/is old crusty stuff in my heart. I do not desire God over all. And I know that if I were wise I would. If I want to obey my Father and enjoy life to its fullest, I would aim for God with all my might.

Do you desire, not what He offers, but Him? For His own sake? Obviously the answer is not going to be a perfect yes, so what can we do to change? I have taken so many little bites from the world, I have lost my appetite for the best thing. How is your heart consumption?