SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 17
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? [Jeremiah 17:9]
Can anyone say that they really know themselves – who they are, what makes them tick, or why they do the foolish things they do?
Especially this last part – why do we do the stupid things we do?
Why do people make the choices they make, even when the consequences are devastating for so many?
Lots of reasons are given, but the spiritual answer is that there is something wrong inside of us, in our spiritual HQ – the heart.
In the center of my being – and this includes my mind, my will, my emotions – I am messed up, out of sync with who I am supposed to be.

For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person…” [Matthew 15:19-20]
Jesus says that we are defiled, that our spiritual center, from which life flows, is corrupt – like a computer hard drive with a virus, it affects all our files.
This is the deep problem that lies behind all suffering, all sin, all stupidity, all struggle, and so this is the deep problem that Jesus comes to address.

“I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” [Jeremiah 17:10]
God makes it clear to the people of Israel that He sees and know everything.
He sees beyond our actions (good and bad) to why we do them.
He knows whether we are sincere, serious and authentic.
He knows whether we love Him and people, or whether we mostly love ourselves.
He knows about the worship of false gods (whether idols then or riches now), immoral practices (whether cultic prostitution then or pornography now) and hollow religion (whether going to temple then or church now)…
We will be judged for what is in the heart, not just for our outward religion or piety.

Now this may sound scary, since we all know that we are not perfect,. that we much sin to account for with God.
But even more than knowing our sin, He knows whether we are sorry, whether we hate the sin, whether we are honest and humble and seeking His mercy.
He can change our hearts for us (we can’t do it ourselves), but we have to be willing, to repent, to believe, to surrender ourselves to Him.
More than anything else, God desires an honest, humble heart.
We may never be able to understand how messed up it is, but if we’re honest with God about it, He will forgive us and cleanse us from that filth.

PRAYER:
Lord, I know that my heart (mind, will, emotions) has a spiritual virus, that I need a divine anti-virus to help me. Though I do not know the extent of my problem, You do! Change my heart O God!