Lips and Hearts

I guess as an evangelical Christian, I'm supposed to have a "life verse."  You know, a verse that defines what my faith is all about, something that encourages me.  A lot of people choose Jeremiah 29:11 as their life verse (usually due to some pretty serious misreading of that passage), or a similarly uplifting Scripture.  While many, many passages have resonated with me as critical to my walk with God or applicable to my particular circumstances, I hadn't ever reflected on whether or not I have a life verse.  Until today.  I thought about it...and almost immediately, my "life verse" came to mind.  From Isaiah 29 and quoted by Jesus in Matthew 15-

"The Lord says, 'These people come near to me with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." (Isaiah 29:13)

Oh Lord, how true this has been of me at times!  I am apt to read Christ's words and think, "Those foolish, prideful Pharisees!" and fail to see those words describing me.  When we are in Christian leadership, we are always in danger of being the subject of that Scripture.  Constantly, we honor God with our words---we must, it's part of the job---and yet, our hearts can be so far from Him.  That can be a very isolating, lonely place to be.  I know at times I have felt like I must plow forward with the Message of Hope---I must!---even when my heart is far from Him.  

This is not really a "confessional," so to speak.  The very fact that I am writing this blog and thinking these thoughts reassures my heart that I am not far from Him.  But woe to me if I am not conscious of this Scripture daily!  Woe to me if I continue to speak His Word and share His love but do not know Him myself!  

This is my life verse.  It's a verse of discouragement....discouraging a self-centered, apathetic attitude that results in a heart that is far from Him.  Lord, help my heart to acknowledge You even more authentically than my words do.