Jeremiah 17:9-10 English Standard Version

⁹ The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
¹⁰ “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind,^[kidneys] to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

While reading today’s daily verse in the ESV my mind translated sick into wicked. My earliest bible readings were in the KJV and the KJV uses wicked in place of sick. I consider this a matter of those things I have taken to heart and changes in my heart take priority over mind function.

Notice where the ESV translates the Hebrew word meaning kidneys into mind. Here is where I derive my title for today, output. Given that the kidneys are responsible for purifying the blood, testing the urine allows us to see if the kidneys are functioning properly and if there are any infections.

A testing of the mind does not render any reliable lab results. It is quite useless to us but we must keep in mind that it is the Lord performing the testing and not we ourselves. The output of the mind can be examined in our words and actions, our ways.

The Lord doing the testing will write the prescription for the heart that is sick. The heart once healed of its infectious disease will actively produce a better lab result for the mind. Our output will begin to render better results because of the change of heart.

Our western culture places the importance on knowledge of the mind and ignore the knowledge of the heart. Even Jesus quoting the greatest command places the order of importance as “Love the Lord thy God with all your heart…” The order indicates priority. Heart first and then the mind will follow.

A renewing of the mind can only take place if we take the Word of God to heart and heal it first.

Psalm 103:13 English Standard Version (ESV) As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

 Not all fathers are compassionate. It has been said that our view of Father God is colored by our view of our fathers. Maybe that is why it took me so long to hear God. My father wasn’t a communicator.

I cannot speak for others that had difficult relationships with their dads. I can only see how lack of communication caused problems for me in hearing God at first. I thank God that He is an overcomer and cleared up the problem.

Perhaps when someone says to me “I don’t get it!” I could ask them about their relationship with their dad and see where that leads. Perhaps their dad didn’t do bible studies with the family. I sure know mine did not.

I am not the best communicator. I read into what people say without knowing them well enough to understand their communication style. Some are rational thinkers, some are emotional responders, and some are parrots, only repeating what they have been told.

Knowing the people you are keeping company with helps improve communications. When it comes to communicating theological issues, it is essential. Some people hold onto certain issues with a strong sense of right and will not allow differing opinions.

Isaiah 1:18a English Standard Version (ESV) “Come now, let us reason^[dispute] together,

The bible is the first and most reliable source when it comes to understanding what God has to say on any subject. Theology is a study of the bible in which great men have spent a lifetime dedicated to sorting it all out for our benefit. We lean on those writings for insight into many details which might escape us because we have not spent as much time in the word.

We must be careful not to allow their relationship to replace our own with our God.

He speaks to us via His indwelling presence. His truth abides in us. His love abides in us.