MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
Mark 7:14-23
Psalm 139:23

"Search me, O God,
and know my heart…"

A SANCTIFIED HEART (2)

The human heart consists of human love, feelings, affection, sentiment, zeal, passion, desires, temper, lusts, etc. All these features must be sanctified; otherwise, we will be miserable and our life may end up in self-destruction. Human love is selfish, limited and conditional. "I love her because she loves me, because she is pretty and charming, or because she has a good job." And this love may turn to hatred when you are offended, abandoned or betrayed!

God’s Word says that love is "strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame" (Song of Sol 8:6). Many fall in love with their lovers so much that when their lovers leave them, they cannot continue with their life. They may go mad, seek solace in alcohol, lose their desire to live, or end up committing suicide.

Many love their children so much that they do not want their children to serve the Lord as missionaries in unsafe countries. Like Peter who loved Jesus with his human love, Satan made use of his love to try to hinder Jesus from going to the cross. Some love their parents, husbands or wives so much that they obey their loved ones rather than God, and end up not following or worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ! Many professing and immature Christians fall in love with their unbelieving boyfriends or girlfriends, thinking that they would be able to bring their loved ones to the Lord later. They think that their love can change human hearts! Their love is so strong that they ignore God’s commandment or the good reminder from their Christian parents and pastors. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers…" (2 Cor 6:14). Disappointingly, they do not find true happiness at all with the ones they love and married!

How vital it is for human love to be sanctified and controlled by God’s holy love so that we may love God first and above all, and love our loved ones and others with God’s holy love.

THOUGHT: My heart must be cleansed and sanctified!
PRAYER: Lord, please search my heart, cleanse and sanctify it.