“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.”
Matthew 15:19, ESV
Jesus said these words at a time when people were judging the holiness of others by what they were eating, but it reveals something deeper about our hearts. A common saying today is, “Follow your heart.” It is as though we believe our hearts are innocent and pure, but the reality is from birth we have sin within us. Baptism washes original sin away, but the disease remains in us until the return of Christ. Our hearts are selfish and lustful. As is often said, “A man wants what he wants.” This truly applies to all humanity. If we follow our hearts and allow them to lead us, we will find a lot of traps awaiting us. We see the trouble of “following our hearts” as many do today. We see broken families and broken lives. Our salvation comes not from following our hearts, but from following Jesus. He leads us away from pitfalls and guides us into the pathways of life. In His forgiveness, we are renewed. As we walk in the waters of our Baptism and are washed and renewed daily through them, we find Jesus always near at hand. He won’t let us drown or fall when we cry out to Him. We will not sink into the murky deep nor be led down dark paths as He renews our hearts and minds to see things more clearly. In this, we find peace.
Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.
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