Where is the Heart ?...the Wayfarer

Where is the Heart 

Matthew 15:8-11 King James Version (KJV)

⁸ This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

⁹ But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

¹⁰ And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

¹¹ Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

As the day approaches, that the celebration of the resurrection, the most worthy cause of celebration ever given to men, far too many hearts are drawn, instead, to a celebration of spring and the carnal celebration of the devices of men that supplant and attempt to remove the very reason for celebration.

The joy of that resurrection and its importance is pushed aside in favor of festivity that holds no thankfulness for the gift of Life given on that day as Christ defeated death and hell itself to show us the way to reconciliation and redemption from the sin that separates each man from God as long as that man refuses to glorify his Creator by the admission of that sin and separation recognizing the permanence of that gift of Life once accepted.

Symbols of that pagan celebration of all BUT that resurrection bring a warm fuzzy experienced for a day, perhaps languishing  a bit longer, only to be forgotten as the next "holiday" presents itself to take the place of the last, each one providing temporary diversion from the destination to be arrived at by each man at the end of his journey, be it long or short.

The true celebration of the resurrection is cause for continual celebration, continual hope, continual faith in the future promised BY that resurrection to ALL willing to participate in the belief of the reason of that celebration.

Christ's heart remained full of the love for His tormentors even as he hung suspended betwixt heaven and earth.

Luke 23:33-34 King James Version (KJV)

³³ And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

³⁴ Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

The blood He shed, the life He gave were shed and given in love for a creature that could not or would not recognize that love.

The proof of that love is indisputable, both in sacrifice and in resurrection, as acknowledgement of that resurrection demands acknowledgement of the believer, demands that believer's heart accept the gift offered, changing forever that heart of stone exemplified by those choosing to crucify Him rather than hear the simple message of redemption through repentance brought by Him.

Revelation 3:14-22 King James Version (KJV)

¹⁴ And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

¹⁵ I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

¹⁶ So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

¹⁷ Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

¹⁸ I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

¹⁹ As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

²¹ To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

²² He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

No matter how rich and increased with goods there will never be wealth that my exceed the gift given on that day of resurrection.

No matter how warm and fuzzy temporary, meaningless celebration may seem to be, there remains a need to cover the nakedness, to remove the blindness, to trade the poverty of seeming "wealth" for the real wealth provided only BY that resurrection.

Misery will eventually be recognized, and is overcome only through that blessed resurrection.

Gold tried in the fires of Hell can only be obtained through Him Who Overcame both death and Hell.

That gold remains the promise of eternal LIFE given through that precious day of resurrection.

What a reason to celebrate! Is there any better?

The celebration begins in the hearts of those celebrating, and what is chosen to celebrate!

2 Timothy 1:12 KJV

 ¹²For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

_{Amen and Amen}

_{the Wayfarer}