Daily Devotions
The Importance of Early Detection
Reading for September 22nd: Amos 1-5
Weekly reading for September 20-26: Hebrews 1-5
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
Perhaps you've read or heard the latest news that death rates from colon cancer are falling. That's good news since it is the second deadliest cancer, trailing only lung cancer.
Why the dramatic decrease? Researchers credit early detection. They found that in the states with the highest decrease in deaths from the disease corresponded with the highest number of people screened.
Sin is a lot like cancer; there are no visible signs at first. Sin is essentially a heart issue. Jesus said:
"What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." Mark 7:20-23
Once sin become visible, it is much more difficult to overcome. We must root sin out of our hearts before it become a habit; before we have become comfortable with it; before it becomes a part of our nature.
So, like cancer, the key to preventing spiritual death is early detection. Thankfully, we have a tool to help us: the Word of God! Like a surgeon's scalpel, it cuts and exposes what is underneath the surface. It judges our motives and the intentions of our hearts. It finds the source of our sin.
Like some cancer screenings, using the Word may not be pleasant, but it will save our lives--our eternal lives!
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
