What is in my heart? - The somewhat different Advent Calender VII ...

Friday, Dec 7, 2012. We are in the middle of a somewhat different advent preparation. The biblical texts call us to prepare for the coming of the Lord, for the events of Christmas. They call us to prepare for Jesus. We read about pure hearts and pure hands in Psalm 24. We read about straight ways in Luke 3. But what is in my heart?

What is in my heart? …

Often, you realize what is in your heart when something unpleasant happens to you. For example, I seem to be calm and tell myself that all is fine. Then, suddenly, some other driver takes my right of way … And I am furious. I am upset. I am telling him a lot of things I never knew that I would be able to say. The event shows, what is in my heart. My heart is not as calm as i tought. It is rough!

There are many other things, which indicate what is in our heart. If someone collects little facts to put someone else down, to work against him in his daily work - that also shows what is in his heart. He can be a dangerous man!

When I grew up, I always knew a lot of people who were full of good will and had - to a great extent - a pure heart. But step by step I had to learn that the world is different. It is difficult with the pure hearts. Many people do a lot of things which are not pure, but rather impure …!

A new heart! …

God knows the problem with our heart. There are the old books of the prophets Isaiah, Jeremia and Ezekiel. They have the vision of a new heart, which is given to the humans by the Lord. And today, it can be real. Jesus came, he died and rose again, to provide a new heart to us, to renew our whole person. He invited us, to come to him, and we can invite him into our life!

Lord, heavenly father! Please give me a new heart, a pure heart. Please come with your spirit! Come into my life, make it new, full of truth and trustworthyness.

There are different situations which show what is in your heart. I have also had the other experience now, many times, where my heart remained calm, even in the presence of stupid accusations. You can have a pure heart, and then your reactions will be different! (Roland Potthast) ... more texts