I have often sung or said the words "You have my heart" to God. But to say to God, "You are my heart" is an entirely different kind of revelation. God is my heart. The old heart has been carved out, and a brand-new, Spirit-filled heart is pumping holy blood through my veins.
You know, in order for someone to get a heart transplant, someone else has to give up their heart. Someone else has to die. Are you following me? That someone was Jesus. He was our organ donor.
(Of course, it's not quite a perfect analogy--under normal circumstances, the organ donor doesn't conquer death, come back to life, and ascend into heaven...but just go with it).
And really, it's not just a new heart we've been given. It's a new identity. The old patterns of thought and action do not define us anymore. We may slip up and sin, but we are not sinners. We may fail, but we are not failures. Because when we are in Jesus, the old has passed away, and the new has come. We are sons and daughters of the King, a holy and dearly-loved people. That is who we are and always will be.
Sin was once part of our DNA, but now it is just a parasite, clinging to us desperately, hoping we don't realize we have the power to pluck it off and flush it down the toilet.
So when temptations arise, remind yourself: this is not who I am anymore. When impatient or judgmental or cowardly thoughts enter your mind, remind yourself: this is not who I am anymore. And when you do make mistakes, and Satan tries to define you by it, tell him to shut up. Then remind yourself: that is not who I am anymore.
Because we have a new heart. God's heart. And nothing can take that away from us.
You know, in order for someone to get a heart transplant, someone else has to give up their heart. Someone else has to die. Are you following me? That someone was Jesus. He was our organ donor.
(Of course, it's not quite a perfect analogy--under normal circumstances, the organ donor doesn't conquer death, come back to life, and ascend into heaven...but just go with it).
And really, it's not just a new heart we've been given. It's a new identity. The old patterns of thought and action do not define us anymore. We may slip up and sin, but we are not sinners. We may fail, but we are not failures. Because when we are in Jesus, the old has passed away, and the new has come. We are sons and daughters of the King, a holy and dearly-loved people. That is who we are and always will be.
Sin was once part of our DNA, but now it is just a parasite, clinging to us desperately, hoping we don't realize we have the power to pluck it off and flush it down the toilet.
So when temptations arise, remind yourself: this is not who I am anymore. When impatient or judgmental or cowardly thoughts enter your mind, remind yourself: this is not who I am anymore. And when you do make mistakes, and Satan tries to define you by it, tell him to shut up. Then remind yourself: that is not who I am anymore.
Because we have a new heart. God's heart. And nothing can take that away from us.
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