The Heart Of The Matter Is The Matter Of The Heart
BRD REFLECTIONS
Genesis 6; Genesis 7 and Psalm 6 (NIV)
(Chan Wai Lup, Chairperson, Discipleship & Nurture, LCEC)
READ:
Genesis 6 and Genesis 7 (NASB)
OBSERVE:
Genesis 6 describes how the great wickedness of mankind during the time of Noah grieved God in His heart. Their wicked actions were the result of continuous evil thoughts and intentions of their hearts (v5-6), and they had corrupted all that was on the earth (v11). God would not contend with such evil forever, and He chose to destroy everything to rid the world of this corruption. He would press the reset button on mankind. But Noah, a righteous man who walked with God, found favour in the eyes of the Lord (v8-9). God would preserve mankind through Noah by establishing a covenant with him to save his family in the ark (v18).
APPLY:
We know from history that after the great flood of Genesis 7, the nations that emerged from the descendants of Noah continued to do evil in the sight of God. Even today, we see so much evil and lawlessness in the world. Men continue to do what they please because their hearts are self-centred and have no place for God. The human heart is the most deceitful of all things and desperately wicked (Jer 17:9, NLT). Mankind is doomed for destruction again!
Through Christ, a new covenant has been mediated, leading to the salvation of those who follow Him. Yet, evil continues to surround us and we are constantly exposed to the temptation to sin. 2 Tim 3:1-5 warns us that even Christians can become lovers of self and lovers of pleasure, rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.
Having just completed a 2-year study on the book of Revelation, I know that the world that we live in will eventually be destroyed, just like in the days of Noah. But the next time God presses the reset button, everything will be destroyed, including Satan and all evil that comes through him. A new heaven and new earth will be created where there will be no evil and no sin. Christ will come back for those of us who remain His faithful followers, and we will be with Him forever!
DO:
Why do men continue to sin and do evil in God’s sight? The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart! I must guard my heart, for everything I do flows from it (Prov 4:23). I will guard my heart by allowing the Word of God to constantly discern my thoughts and the motivations of my heart (Heb 4:12). I will guard my heart by treasuring God’s Word in my heart. I will guard my heart by constantly seeking God’s will and obeying His commandments whole-heartedly (Psalm 119:9-11). I will guard my heart by not allowing it to be hardened by disobedience and unconfessed sin, but instead to heed the voice of the Holy Spirit to repent (Heb 3:7-8).
PRAY:
Heavenly Father, thank you for the hope of total salvation that you have given me in Jesus; the hope that one day, all evil will be removed from this world. I look forward to the day of Christ’s return, when all things will be made new. Help me to guard my heart and to always keep it tender towards You. Help me to persevere in my faith by obeying Your Word daily. Help me not to be attached to what this temporal world has to offer, but help me to live each day with a perspective of eternity. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!
