Articles
Too Full
How many times have we finished eating at a potluck only to see another tasty looking dessert we wish we could eat? It happens all the time! But, the thought of swallowing one more bite of food makes us feel ill, even though it may be delicious. Why does this happen? It is because we are full, and we have no room for anything else. We cram so much into our lives that we sometimes have no room for anything else. Most of the things we have going on in our daily routine are not inherently evil or corrupt, but the thought of adding anything else makes us sick. With work, school, family, and hobbies, we are busy people. Are we “too full” for anything else?
In John 8, Jesus was teaching about Himself to the Jews. He claimed to be the light of the world in verse 12, the Son of Man in verse 28, and the one who spoke truth leading to freedom in verses 31-32. However, these lessons were not easy for the people to swallow. They argued that they did not need Jesus because they were the offspring of Abraham. Jesus replied in verse 37, “I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.” The Jews were too full. They had filled their lives with self and their hearts with evil. Therefore Jesus’ words found no place in them.
A Full Heart. Take a quick assessment of yourself. How full is your heart? Is it overloaded with worldly cares and activities, or does the Word of God have a permanent dwelling place there? We live in a busy society. There are so many things for us to do all the time. As seekers of godliness, however, we must discern what is most important for us to include in our lives. I have heard it said that “if you are too busy to read your Bible, you’re too busy.” How true that is! Do we make time for the Lord in our lives or does he get what is left over (if there is any)? Back to that self assessment: what is distracting you from diligent service to God right now? The Bible warns of distractions. Matthew 5:29-30 instruct us to rid ourselves of things that cause us to sin. It is better to cut out the distractions, no matter how wholesome they may be, if they hinder our service to God. When presented with the great bounties of Babylon, the prophet Daniel declined because he “purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s food” (Daniel 1:8). What have we decided is most valuable to put in our hearts?
An Invaluable Message. God’s word carries weight. The holy scriptures are God-breathed, making them paramount to anything else on earth. Do we treat God’s word as most important? Is God paramount in our lives, or is He second place to something else? If our heart was a bucket of water, God should be a brick of pure gold, permanently secured no matter what else is poured in. We should hold fast to the "word of life" (Phil. 2:16) because nothing else on earth can save our souls.
A Call to Change. Upon realizing the condition and contents of our hearts, we must dedicate ourselves to change. The Pharisees professed godliness, and although they looked clean on the outside, Jesus knew that their hearts were tombs full of uncleanness, greed, and self-indulgence (Matt. 23:25-28). How would Jesus measure the contents of our hearts? Paul encouraged the church at Philippi to dwell on things of excellence and worthy of praise (Phil. 4:8). What do we dwell on? What fills our hearts? If your heart is full of sinful, worldly desires, get those things out! If your heart is full of things that are good in and of themselves, but are crowding out the Lord, make the necessary change! “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword... discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). God knows if He holds the appropriate place in our hearts, or if His word “finds no place” in us. Consider your heart today. Nothing else on earth is of more value than your soul. “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matt. 16:26)
