We were sitting on the patio I built from paving stone that had been mislaid along the driveway. It was after the flower walk we have taken after lunch for years. That walk is shorter since our whole property now is smaller than our garden was up north. But, we have a rose, a hibiscus, two gardenias, a desert rose that right now is all bloom, and two small beds with summer flowers. It was an unseasonably nice day with a light breeze and so we were enjoying the shade and talking of little importance. Whatever came up is (conveniently?) lost to memory, but I said, "It's probably a good thing you can't read my mind." Now, 'fess up. Haven't you at some time said, or at least thought the same thing about your spouse (or teenagers)? But, immediately, I added, "But God can."
Have you never seen someone driving in another lane picking their nose or doing something else inappropriate? We seem to forget that our automobiles are not private space, anyone can look through the windows. We are exposed to the world but act like we are in private. So we are always to God.
So, does that give you that, "Oops, I've been caught" feeling? Remember when you were thinking, "That is the most boring sermon I've ever heard?" God remembers that too. When you were angrily muttering imprecations about other drivers while alone in the car? So does God. When you were passing the Lord's Supper and not making much effort not to look at what was exposed by the inappropriately low cut dress when the nice looking lady leaned to take the tray? So does God.
In fact, my personal list could go page after page, angry words at a spouse or brother, lustful fantasies no one ever admits exist, much less that they have, etc.
But there is another list: The times I go around singing hymns in my head (to not disturb the neighbors who are no longer 100 yards away) or do so in the night when the aches waken me, God knows. The times I have been dwelling on a wrong done me and wishing I could….but then said within, "My God is a merciful God and I will not think these things." Or, in another situation, "My God is holy and I will not do this thing. God knows these thoughts too.
So, the struggle is always there to have more thoughts from the second group than from the first, in other words to create a new heart within ourselves. Has it not occurred to you that all the passages about putting to death the old man and putting on the new man are written to Christians of long standing (Col 3-17, Gal 5:16-24, et al.)? God will give us all the power that he used to raise Jesus and enthrone him for us to be able to accomplish this. But, we must "Present our bodies a living sacrifice" (Eph 1:19-23, Rom 12:1).
It's a journey, but am I taking more steps forward than back? Are you?
"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh." (Ezek 36:26).
"For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that WE SHOULD WALK in them." (Eph 2:10).
"So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION with fear and trembling; for IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. " (Phil 2:12-13).
Keith Ward