Searching Our Hearts

Dear Phyllis,

Gomen nasai. I don't mean to burden you with two letters this week but the Lord just gave me an illustration that won't wait.

Pammy goes to a different church and the missionary there has commissioned her as one of his Bible ladies requiring that she has a service here in the afternoon. It really is a nickel-dime service but at least we are filling in squares. Of course she wants me to speak. Today she said, “I really don't feel good. Please keep it short.” To abbreviate the service I choose to tell a testimony the Lord had given me at the Beulah Church. We were singing a song about the Lord searching our hearts and I thought, “If the Lord searches my heart He is going to be disappointed. There is absolutely nothing there worth while except Jesus.” Then I thought of a weird illustration.

When the cops want to arrest a crook but they can't get anything on him, sometimes they can frame him by planting drugs on him and then arrest him. It's all a set up.

I thought of Joseph in Egypt. His brothers had sold him as a slave and he wound up being the Prime Minister. When his brothers came to buy corn he disguised himself and accused them of being spies. They were really komatta (big problem). They said, “No, we are brothers of one man. One brother is dead and the youngest is home with dad.” Joseph said, “You are not going to see my face until you bring your little brother with you.” You know the story. They finally bring Benjamin with them and Joseph has a big meal with them. Then he tells his servants to put his silver cup in Benjamin's sack. It's a set up. Shortly after his brothers leave, Josephs sends his men after them to arrest them. They pleaded, No! No! We're innocent. Check our sacks.” Sure enough there was Joseph's silver cup in Benjamin's sack. Joseph did it to have his brother with him.

When God searches our hearts there is absolutely nothing worth while and then He sees Jesus. God has placed Jesus in our hearts so that there might be something of value and by that He has brought us to Himself. It is a set up in reverse.

We used to do reverse shoplifting in China. We used to go in music stores with Christian music and messages and hid them behind other CDs, so that when customers went in there they might find these Christian CDs. That is Christian shoplifting in reverse.

God has done something like that in placing Jesus in our hearts so that when He searches our hearts He might find His Son. I like that kind of a set up.

And Pammy liked my abbreviated message. Gomen but I just had to share that with you.

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