Devotionals by Donna - Spiritual X-Ray
Writer Author Donna J. Shepherd
Christian Column
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Devotionals
- Fiction No
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. - Luke 6:45 NIV
Oh, the joy of getting older! Most of the time, I credit standard aches and pains with aging. Lately though I've had a pain in my side that won't go away. Off to the doctor I go where I receive what seems to be the standard answer, "We need to do tests." Scans and x-rays can only see so much and answers still elude the doctor as to the source of my problem. I told the doctor I wish bodies had the equivalent of a zipper where we could zzzzip, open, and look inside. Now wouldn't that be much easier?
Several years ago, my son fell on his arm while skating. From the outside, his arm looked fine, but his cries of pain told a different story. When the doctor held the x-ray up to the light, even my untrained eyes could see the jagged edge of his small bone sticking out.
I can still hear my brave little soldier’s cry of “Ow-ow-ouch!” when the doctor needed to ‘set’ the bone back into place. They had ushered this nervous Mom out of the room for the procedure, and when I came back in, I saw my baby’s freckles standing out in stark contrast to his paler than usual complexion. After being fitted with a bright orange cast, he recovered enough to ask when he’d be able to skate again!
From the outside, we cannot see everything happening on the inside of a person’s body, but God can. Not only does he see beyond our skin, He sees our hearts. And God doesn’t see just arteries, vessels, and muscles, but knows the intent and spiritual condition of our hearts.
Jesus told the Pharisees, the hypocritical religious leaders of His day, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts.” (Luke 16:15 NIV)
Just as the doctor set my son’s bone back into place, God wants to ‘set’ our sin-sick "hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God" (Colossians 3:1 NIV). What if God administered a ‘spiritual x-ray’ and held the condition of your heart up to the light so all could see the results? Would you be ashamed? Would the sickness of sin be evident?
Prayer: Lord, I love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Thank You for loving me. Lord, help me to keep my heart set on things above and serving You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Worth Remembering: God needs no zippers to look inside of you. He knows what you think, what you feel, and most importantly, if He truly is the Lord of your life.
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About the Writer Author
State:
Ohio
Country:
United States
Email:
donna.shepherd@gmail.com
Website:
www.donnashepherd.com
Profile:
Click here!
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