About that ‘follow your heart’ thing…

As I prepared for the sermon for this morning, I searched to see what others said about “follow your heart.”  Here is what Steve Jobs said: ” Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” 

Another way this is being expressed is that you need to be your “authentic self” or “true to you.”  Yet, as we saw this morning:

“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?”.

Jeremiah 17:9 

The idea that our heart will always lead us rightly and best is tied up in the idea that life is always about us, and about our inherent goodness.  Unfortunately, we are all born broken and in need of a Savior.  We need rescuing and a way to deal with the guilt and shame we carry.  This is the grand narrative of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.  Man, who rebelled against his Creator, thinking he knew and knows what is right and best, only to find himself always at odds with God and with others.  Our pride and selfishness is ever present, just below the surface.  If this were the whole of the story, we would see this as the greatest tragedy of all time, but throughout the pages of the Bible we see how God reveals Himself and His love for us in the midst of our need and rebellion. 

This culminates in Jesus coming to live among us, to die for us, and be raised from the dead — all for us.  His forgiveness is not deserved, nor can it be earned; but it is available to all who by faith will entrust all their lives to Jesus and turn away from their rebellion and sin.  No longer are we destined to follow our heart, but now we can follow Jesus.  No longer do we need to live in guilt and shame, but we can live in forgiveness and grace.  No longer do we remain distant from God and others, but we are able to really love without an agenda.  Follow your heart to train wreck after train wreck, or follow Jesus where there is forgiveness, peace, joy and acceptance.  For me, it is a no brainer.

Pressing on,

Senior Pastor Ron Tipton