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A Distant Heart
Matthew 15:8
"This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me."
The Pharisees were a very religious people. If you were to look at the Pharisees, you would think that they were a very moral people. Their lifestyle was very righteous. Jesus commented about their morality in Matthew 5:20 when He says, "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." However, though their lifestyle was moral, their heart was very distant from God. They lived their life for man's perception. Yet, their heart was not in tune with their lifestyle. In the verse above, Jesus condemned their distant heart because He wanted them to draw nigh to Him with their heart.
I see today that there are many people whose lives are very similar to the Philistines. They know how to talk right. When you go to church these people know the "Christian" lingo and how to impress people with it. They dress right as well. If you were to see them walk inside the church, you would think that this is a very sharp Christian person. However, their heart is very distant towards God. They have learned how to act out the Christian life in public, but inside their heart is worldly and vile. Sure, they live moral lives on the outside, but inside they are so filled with worldliness and sin that they have no desire to pray or read the Scriptures. What a sad commentary of many Christians whose heart's are distant towards God.
However, let me take this a step further. There are married couples who draw nigh to each other with what they say, but inside their heart is distant towards their spouse. These couples say what they need to say, but inside their heart is going a different direction. The same can be said about children who say the right things to their parents, but their heart is drifting away. Yes, on the surface they may seem like good children, but they have slowly drawn their heart away from their parents. It is just as bad to have a distant heart with your spouse or parents as it is to have a distant heart with God.
Married person, is your heart distant towards your spouse? Are you just going through the motions of marriage? Your spouse desires your heart to be close more than they desire you going through the motions of saying the right things. They see when you get more involved with other things than you do with them. They can see when another person's phone call brings more emotion than their presence at home. Be careful about simply going through the motions of marriage. Don't just draw near to your spouse with your lips, but also draw near to them with your heart. When your heart has drawn near to your spouse, then meeting each other's physical and emotional needs will be enjoyable, and not an obligation.
Teenager, is your heart distant towards your parents? Are you guilty of saying the right things, but inside your heart is slowly being pulled away? Your parents can see when your heart is slowly being drawn away. Your heart reveals itself when you roll your eyes or complain because you have to do something with them. Teenager, telling your parents "I love you" is a wonderful thing to do, but your parents desire you to draw near to them with your heart.
Christian, don't be guilty of lip service. Put your heart into every relationship. Saying the right things may make someone feel good for the moment, but eventually your heart will be revealed. If you will draw near with your heart, then your actions will back up what you say.