How’s Your Heart?
October 17 2010
Like a lot of young boys, I admired my Dad and thought that he would always be around. Even though I knew that people did not live forever, the thought that Dad would die never crossed my mind.
Yea – he had cancer in the early 1960’s when I was 5 or 6 years old and had to undergo radiation treatments – but he survived. He always complained that the treatments left him to where he couldn’t do a lot of physical labor and he would get tired easily if working outside, but to tell you the truth that was not a real problem for me – I was never all that interested in working outside with him anyway. The important thing for me was that he survived – he was a survivor – and I guess I thought he would always survive.
When I was in college he was diagnosed with diabetes and had to go on a strict diet and take insulin – but he adjusted his food intake, exercised, and took his insulin – and survived. I guess I thought he would always survive.
Then came October of 1981.
Dad had been raking some leaves on a Saturday morning and came inside at noon sweaty and red – faced – but Mom did not think much about it. Like I said, after his cancer treatments almost 20 years before that – and now with his diabetes – Dad couldn’t work outside as long as he liked, and Mom thought he had just done too much. He settled into his easy chair and ate lunch while watching his beloved Gamecocks play NC State. Well, Monte Kiffin had his Wolfpack team more prepared than Jim Carlen had the Gamecocks prepared and NC State beat the Gamecocks in the last plays of the game. Dad, of course, was upset – Mom later said she remembered his face being beet red – but that was not unusual for him after a South Carolina loss so again she didn’t think much about it. But when he started rubbing his left arm and talking about how it felt numb – and then told Mom he felt worse than he ever had – she began to get concerned. Dad was not a complainer, so when he began talking about how bad he felt Mom called the doctor. The doctor told her to call an ambulance – and within 30 minutes Dad was in ICU in the hospital. He was having a heart attack.
In typical Dad fashion he responded to the news that he had had a heart attack by snapping:
“That’s ok – but I’ve got a case to try in court on Monday.”
It took awhile for him to realize that things were going to be different from now on and lifestyle changes were going to have to be made if he wanted to live. Stints were put in his heart and within a few days he was better – and he came home soon after that – and made the lifestyle changes he had to make. For the next 10 years he exercised and did what he needed to do – until he finally died in 2001.
Yea – Dad was a survivor – but he did not live forever.
He beat cancer – he did well with diabetes – and did better than anyone expected him to do with heart disease – but he did not live forever.
After his heart attack Dad wrote Mom a note on her birthday that said something to the effect that he loved her very much – and would take care of his heart to prove it.
He retired not long after his heart attack – he was 61 qt the time — but he remained extremely active – riding a stationary bike when the weather was too bad for him to walk outside – and doing some legal work from the house for as long as he was able.
Our family doctor was a good friend of Dad’s – and every time he would see him he would ask –
“How’s your heart”?
And Dad would usually respond –
“Great”
And – like I said – he lived for 10 years after his heart attack – something some folks don’t do.
I’ve thought a lot about why he lived for 10 years after suffering a heart attack.
Was it because he was just so healthy before the heart attack?
Not really. He had battled cancer 20 years before.
Was it because he was just “tough”?
Well, while he was “tough” that was only part of the reason he lived as long as he did.
A major reason he lived 10 years after his heart attack was because he was able to make the changes he needed to make so he could be healthier and live longer. Instead of fighting retirement, eating healthier foods, and getting more exercise he adapted – did what he needed to do – and lived.
He took care of his heart.
You know – that’s something we all can do.
We all can take care of our hearts.
Yea – we can take life easier – eat better foods – not smoke — and exercise – and take care of our hearts and maybe live longer.
But – there’s another aspect to taking care of our hearts than just the physical aspects of taking care of the muscle that pumps blood to our bodies. In fact, in a lot of ways the word “heart” refers to much more than just our physical hearts. It can also refer to our emotions – and even the things that are the most important to us.
Our passage for today – Jeremiah 31:27-34 – talks about God putting a new heart in His people.
Do you think it’s a literal heart transplant God is talking about here?
Of course not.
What God is talking about is His people having a change of attitude – a change in what is most important to them. What God is talking about is His people letting His things be the most important things in their lives – and their having their hearts set on Him – and following His ways instead of all the other ways the world tempted them with. God is telling Jeremiah that there would be a day when His people would have a heart for Him and His things – and would follow Him.
How were their hearts?
How were the hearts of the people of Judah people in the days of Jeremiah?
Some of them may have had good hearts – strong hearts – and may have tried to live their lives in ways pleasing to God. Some may have had hearts for God.
But did all of them?
Apparently not.
God was not pleased with how many of the people in Judah were living in the time of Jeremiah. Many of them were not paying attention to God. Many of them did not care what God wanted them to be doing – they only wanted to be left alone to live as they wanted to. By the time in Judah’s history Jeremiah 31 depicts the Babylonians were ready to take over the country of Judah – and Jerusalem was about to be destroyed by the army of Nebuchadnezzar. But – the people of Judah – the people of Jerusalem — continued to not listen to God. Their hearts were hardened to God’s word. It was so bad that, when a scroll with God’s word was read before King Jehoiakim, he cut it up and burned it. He did not want to listen to God – and neither did many of the people.
How were their hearts?
Their hearts were not focused on God – they did not care about God or His word — but their hearts were focused on the things they wanted to focus on.
And they paid the price for it.
The country of Judah was destroyed. The city of Jerusalem was destroyed. The Temple was destroyed. The people were taken to Babylon. They did not listen to God or have a heart for God – and you know what? They paid the price for it.
But God did not give up.
Just as God promised, the descendents of those taken to Babylon returned to Judah and rebuilt Jerusalem. But more than that – just as God promised – He made a way for a new covenant – a new way to live – that was not based on things written on paper that could be burned or on stone that could be shattered if the people wanted to turn away from God again – but was based on things that could be written on the minds and hearts of those who chose to follow Him. Instead of having hearts set on their things they could have hearts set on God’s things. Instead of having minds focused on what they wanted they could have minds focused on what God wanted.
How could their hearts be?
Their hearts could be set on the things of God – the things that brought them life and not death.
So – how did God make this “new heart” possible?
Almost 500 years after the time of Jeremiah Jesus died on a cross outside of the city of Jerusalem that was rebuilt after the people of Israel returned from Babylon.
He died for all who would believe in Him. He died so that the “new covenant” God promised through Jeremiah – the one that could be written on people’s hearts instead of on paper or stone – could become a reality. He died so that those who believed in Him could follow Him instead of following what they wanted to follow. He died so that those who believed in Him and followed Him could get what God wanted them to get out of life – salvation and a new relationship with Him – instead of what they wanted out of life. He died to give those who believed in Him new hearts – hearts for God and for living in God’s ways.
He died to give new hearts.
He died to give hearts for God.
So – how’s your heart?
How’s your heart?
Is it strong?
Do you have that relationship with God that God wants you have?
Are God’s ways and God’s will for your life written on your heart?
“The heart” is a metaphor for the things that are important in your life. You can choose to have a heart focused on things in the world that you think might give you pleasure and might be worthy of your attention – or you can choose to have a heart that is focused on God’s things and the things God wants you to focus your attention on. You can live a life that’s focused on what you think you need or you can live a life that’s focused on what God knows you need. You can have a heart that is hardened to the things of God and not pay attention to God’s will for your life and the salvation God offers you – or you can have a heart that has God’s will for your life written on it and you can be committed to living in God’s ways.
How’s your heart?
It’s your choice. Nobody can make it for you. Nobody can force you to decide to have a heart for God. God isn’t going to force you to have a heart for Him. But God offers it – and deeply desires for you to take Him up on that offer. God deeply desires for you to make His things the important things in your life. God deeply desires for you to stop making worldly things the most important things in your life and for you to start making His things the most important things. God deeply desires for you to have a heart for Him.
When Dad’s doctor after his heart attack would ask him – “How’s your heart”? he would answer “great”! And to a degree it was doing great. It was doing great because he was doing what the doctor had told him to do – cutting down on his stress, eating the right kinds of foods, and exercising. If God were to ask you – “How’s your heart?” – and not just the muscle that pumps blood through your body but the things your life is focused on and the things that are important to you – what would you say?
Could you say:
I have a heart for you, God. I want to follow you. I want to do your will. I want your things to be the most important things in my life. I want a heart for you.
Or – would you say:
I want to follow my own way and blaze my own trail, God. Your things are not important to me right now. I might give you an hour on Sundays but don’t ask for much more than that.
How’s your heart?
Is yours a heart for God – or not?
Dad lived 10 years after his heart attack – to the surprise of his doctors – because he changed his life. He changed his habits. He gave up the fatty foods and cigars and stress filled days he had become accustomed to. He still loved his Gamecocks – but he quit getting so upset when they lost. He quit focusing on the things that were bad for his heart and focused on the things that were good for his heart – and his damaged heart actually became stronger.
If you are going to have a heart for God – a heart like Jeremiah promises that can be focused on the things of God and not the things that go against God – you are going to have to make some changes – changes that will help make your heart stronger.
You are going to have to give up things that keep you away from God – things like wanting your way in your life instead of God’s way – doing “your thing” or the things the world is putting before you to do instead of the things God is calling you to do.
The other night some of us went to the “Casting Crowns” concert at the Florence Civic Center and had a wonderful time praising God and worshipping with so many others. The lead singer made a comment that he was blessed to do Christian music and hoped his songs were a blessing to others also. He made the point that – if we are going to follow God – we are going to have to have God’s things filling our minds and hearts and not worldly things – and he thought contemporary Christian music was a way we could still listen to upbeat music but with a Christian message. If you are going to have a strong heart for God you are going to have to find things to help you keep your relationship with God strong – like contemporary Christian music instead of music with lyrics that can pull you away from God.
You are going to have to make attendance in Church for worship important to you – you are going to have to make coming to Sunday School important – if you are a young person Youth Group is going to have to be important to you – you are going to have to make Wednesday night fellowship and programs important to you – you are going to have to make the other opportunities we offer for learning and fellowship and service important. These are things that can help you make your heart – your commitment to God – stronger. So can serving in the Church – doing what needs to be done instead of waiting for someone else to do it. So can sharing ideas that can benefit us all – and benefit God’s work in this Church and in the world.
Getting involved in the Church is one way you can strengthen your heart – your commitment to God.
I heard about a Church that put on it’s sign in front of it’s facility:
Spiritual Fitness Center
Being active in the Church can make your heart stronger and more focused on God.
Other changes you are going to have to make include having a daily time for reading scripture and for praying – and making it a point to find ways to tell others about Christ and reach out to them with God’s ,love.
Other changes you might have to make involve what you do with what God has given you – your time, your money, your abilities. If you are going to have a heart for God, you need to use the things God has given you for Him.
So – how’s your heart?
Do you have a heart for God?
Have you made the changes in your life so you can have a heart for God?
Glenn MacDonald in his book The Disciple Making Church – which our adults are studying on Wednesday nights – asks the question:
“What would your Church look like if all of you had a heart for God?”
Wow!
What would it look like?
Maybe we would have more people here.
Maybe we would have a spirit of joy and excitement.
It might look a lot like it did last Sunday for Homecoming – and feel a lot like it did last Sunday.
MacDonald says that – whatever it would look like – people in the community would be able to tell the difference and God would be making a difference in the community through us.
Let’s try it and see.
Let’s see what will happen if we all give ourselves to God – and have a heart for God. Amen.