Change the Direction of Your Heart

2 Samuel 12: 1-7a, 10-17

Thomas Keating in Invitation to Love wrote this about the meaning of repent...

We come now to the heart of the problem of the human condition. Jesus addressed this problem head-on in the gospel. What was his first word when beginning his ministry? "Repent." To repent is not to take on afflictive penances like fasting, vigils, flagellation or whatever else appeals. It means to change the direction in which you are looking for happiness.

How profound to think about repentance from that perspective..."to change the direction in which you are looking for happiness."  Through a story told by Nathan David realizes that he must change the direction in which he is looking for happiness. He is filled with such remorse that he refuses to eat, clothes himself in sackcloth, and sleeps on the gound. While sacrificing those things that bring us comfort might appear to be repentent, the change must really occur within the heart.

Thus again today we have the well known Psalm 51. The emphasis today cuts right to the core...Create a clean heart in me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me." A clean heart, a heart that desires what is good and pure. A heart that puts love for God above personal pleasures ans satisfactions. The psalm goes on...Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me.

In order to change the direction of your heart it takes more than just saying the words. It takes a willingness to be on guard to be vigilant, to be aware of the former urgings of the heart. Praying while keeping in sight the large crucifix in our church is something that reminds me which direction love originates.

For God so loved the world...that he sent his only begotten son to be with us. David could not hold on to the image of the crucifix, but he did have the love of God in his heart. God sent Nathan to get the attention of David through a simple story.

Throughout the public life of Jesus he told stories, parables, as his primary method of teaching. People can relate to stories because we can visualize the events and our emotions follow accordingly.
So Nathan's story was visualized by David which ignited deep emotion within his heart.

What story or image helps you sustain your willingness to maintain a clean heart?

Original picture: A person with both arms stretched up to the sky.

I chose this image because humility and surrender lead us to true repentance.

This kaleidoscope image incorporates both the darkness of sin and the brightness of a clean heart.

Create in me a clean heart, O God. 

Your word is a light for my path.