Dear Parents
We trust and hope that you are keeping warm in this wet and cold winter season. Enjoy reading the devotions and details of school trips this term.
Have a blessed week.
Prasad Patchigalla
Principal
Devotion on heart and body using three cups.
Luke 6:45 - A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. (Cup 1 and Cup 2).
Mark 7:21-23 - For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts …, 22 …, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. (Cup 2).
1 Samuel 16:7 - But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. (Cup 3).
The heart, or the inner man is a frequent topic in the Bible. It is the very core of a person. Our heart is who we are – the REAL you inside. Our heart includes not only our personality, but our choices, feelings, decisions, intentions, and motives. The heart initiates and the body mediates through thoughts, words and actions. It means everything starts within your heart and your body simply follows what the hearts initiates. What does the Bible say about the heart? The first part of Luke 6:45 says, a good person, out of the good treasure of his heart, brings out which is good. Cup 1 represents a person who brings out good words and deeds out of good heart. The second part of Luke 6:45 says, an evil person out of the evil treasure of his/her heart brings out which is evil. Cup 2 represents a person who brings out evil words and deeds. Cup 3 represents a person (1 Samuel 16:7) who may look good on the outside but the heart is away from God.
In Science, we learn about parts of the body. They include the parts that you can see outside and the parts that are inside your physical body. One of the internal organs are brain, nerves, lungs, heart, stomach, small intestine, and big intestine. All parts of the body whether you can see outside or inside the body are physical. Physical means something you can see, touch and feel.
But the Bible verses we read talk about the heart that is not physical, it is spiritual. In this devotion, let us consider all biblical verses about mind, soul, spirit, conscience, will, thoughts, feelings, inner man, and inner self the heart. To put it simply, we are talking about humans who have two sides – inside and outside or heart and body. For thousands of years, philosophers, physicians, and theologians have been trying to explain the heart that continues to be abstract. Abstract means something that is not easy to understand. But the Bible clearly explains what philosophers, psychologists, doctors, surgeons and neurologists fail to explain. Based on the Bible, we believe the heart (sometimes interchangeably referred to as soul or spirit) is eternal. Eternal means lives on forever. It lives on with God or without God forever, depending on the decisions you make while you live on this earth. Based on the Bible, we also know that there is a clear connection between the heart and the body. The heart initiates, and the body executes. Question – What is the state of your heart? The Bible says every one of us chose to move away from God like a lost sheep. Only through Jesus can the heart be made pure and reconnected to God. Then you can bring out the good treasure of your heart (Luke 6:45f) to bless others. If you recognise the state of your heart and repent, God is willing to forgive you, clean your heart and make it as white as snow if you look to God in prayer.
Prayer: Father God, I ask for forgiveness for my evil thoughts, words and actions. Please fill my heart with your Holy Spirit. Help me, Lord, to be a blessing for many by bringing out the good treasures from my heart for your glory. I commit to keeping my heart and body clean inside and out. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.