Heart Condition

And so the Lord says,
“These people say they are mine.
They honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
And their worship of me
is nothing but man-made rules 
learned by rote. 
              --Isaiah 29:13



I always enjoyed watching my kids play "doctor.  I think mostly Lyssa was the doctor and Kyle the patient. Not that it was a common occurrence, but what I found interesting was that they'd often go to check the heart of their "patient" first.  They didn't know any better, but I think they had something there.  Maybe they were doctors in training!  We all know that the heart beat is a sign of  life, and depending on it's strength, signals health or not. 

We each have a "heart condition" in regards to our relationship with God.  I was struck by the passage in Isaiah above because it confronts us with the fact that we can say we believe in God, yet still have hearts that are far from the Him.  We can believe in His Sovereignty and power, and in His faithfulness and love, but still not have a living and growing, life-changing relationship with our Savior.

On this "Salvation Saturday" I'm praying for the heart condition of my kids. I'm praying that Alyssa and Kyle fall in love with Jesus, and that they never find their hearts far from Him.

Lord, I pray that Alyssa and Kyle say that you are their Lord and Savior.  I pray that they honor you with their lips.  And above all, I pray that their hearts are never far from you.  May their worship of you be life giving, strength sustaining, and honor-filled toward you, their God.  As Alyssa and Kyle accept you as their Savior, may they not just live by a list of dos and don'ts, but live in a personal relationship with you.  Thank you, Lord, for hearing this mom's prayer!