Saturday, January 28, 2012 - Pain in the Heart

What would Jesus' heart look like
if it reflected all the hurts He's felt at my hands?

      No one can make Jesus look bad. Even the secular world recognizes Jesus can't look bad: He was too right, too good, too perfect, too "on target" with what the world needs.  I've seen people try to desecrate Jesus by dipping Him artistically in urine or by publishing satirical cartoons of Him but these attempts backfire. Unfortunately, we don't have to think long to come up with multiple examples of Christians making Christians look bad, and whether or not we like to admit it, we too, deserve the name "hypocrite." 
     We can't make Jesus "look bad," praise God, but we sure seem bent on hurting Him. We push Him away every time we let personal pride rule, whether it's in the form of self-promotion or wearing our feelings on our sleeves.  We pierce His heart when we stand on stubbornness instead of righteousness.  Our self-centeredness slaps at His sacrifice because He died to make us one with Him, yet we pull at this sacred "oneness" with a fierce determination to be independent of Him again. We hurt His loving heart each time we ignore someone's need, verbally attack another person, give up on someone, shut out the lonely, or blow past the hurting in our hurry to have more, be more and do more. Take Saul, for instance:

"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"  

Acts 26:14

Or King David

"For the sake of Your Name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great." 

Psalm 25:11

"Against You, You only have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, 

so that you are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge."  

Psalm 51:4

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." 

Psalm 51:10 

Jesus made it clear how we can bring Him joy instead of heartache:

"I tell you the truth, 

whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, 

you did for Me." 

Matthew 25:40

Lord Jesus, forgive us for habitually hurting You with our secret or ingrained selfish sins.  Cleanse us from them.  Help us make complete unity with You our top goal. Sensitize our hearts so we're repelled by any attitudes that cause You pain and anguish.  Soften our hearts toward other people, remembering that whatever we do for them we're doing for You.  Change our destructive habits to encouraging ones.  Change our hearts, O God, to be solely concerned with what concerns You.  May we be consumed with finding and helping the "least of these" instead of pumping our egos and importance. Help us bring Joy to Your heart today.
In the Name of Jesus, One with the Father, One with us,