A Heart's Desire

God had seemingly been reduced to a long list of rules and regulations--do's and don'ts in efforts to be made righteous. I am speaking of the scenario that Jesus entered when He walked the trails of the promised land. He continually confronted the religious elite in their vain pursuits of holiness--external musings that could not transform the heart. And He called them hypocrites--outwardly washed while internally full of extortion and deceit (see Matthew 23).

But God was and is so much more. Jesus said, over and over, abide in my word and you will be blessed. So what was His word? What is the heart of God? His heart is set on freeing the captive and healing the broken. His heart rejoices in truth and desires intimacy with His creation. His heart is driven by love.

If we truly want freedom--freedom from entanglement and burdens light--then His instruction is clear: "Lay everything else aside, everything that you seek to fulfill those deep longings, and come to Me. Look at Me. Glory in Me. Trust in Me. Rest in Me. And I will set you free."

To be quite honest some days I don't feel very free. In fact I feel bound to the same, old, tired places of struggle. But those are the exact moments that God wants to do heart transformation as we bring those feelings, those struggles, those questions, to Him. As we honestly come and lay those things down, He can then reveal His great power to lift, break, strengthen, and redeem. But we have the choice.

No matter the moments this day may bring, I pray that we cast all of them--the good, bad, and ugly--at His feet, allowing Him to transform us and reflect Himself through us to those our lives will touch. He is that good.

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