The Plague of My Heart

The Plague of My Heart

1 Kings 8: 38-40 “ whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple: then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men), that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.”

These words are part of a prayer that Solomon offers up to God at the dedication of the temple. 

God alone knows my heart.He knows what is deep inside.He knows my thoughts, my feelings, my pain, my hurts and my heartaches. He knows my joys and my smiles. He knows my sins. God you are calling me to also know my own heart ...you are calling me to know “the plague of my heart”.

Ps 139:23, 24 “ Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way. “

Lord what is the “plague of my heart”? You have promised that I shall know the plague of my heart through prayer... the verse does not say “might know”...but it is a certainty...I shall know. You have promised forgiveness to those who know “ the plague of their hearts”.

“Sin is the plague of our own hearts; our in-dwelling corruptions are our spiritual diseases: every true Israelite endeavours to know these, that he may mortify them, and watch against the risings of them. These drive him to his knees; lamenting these, he spreads forth his hands in prayer.” Matthew Henry

“The disease of the heart of man is sin, and particularly indwelling sin; the sin of our nature, which has its seat in the heart. Every sin is a disease, as is clear from what the Psalmist says, Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, and healeth all thy diseases (Ps. 103:3). Here diseases and iniquities are represented as the same; and the healing of these diseases is signified by the forgiveness of iniquity.” Gill

Isa 1:4-6 "Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity,A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters!They have forsaken the Lord, They have provoked to angerThe Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward. Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more.The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment."

Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

O Lord the deceitfulness and wickedness of sin is like a terrible disease in my heart. I am desperately sick and in need of healing and I don’t even understand the full extent of my disease. I need you Lord.

Jer 17:4 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.

Ps 6:2 “Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are troubled.”

Ps 30:2 “O LORD my God, I cried unto you, and you have healed me.”

Jer 30:17 “For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,’ says the Lord...”

Isa 53:5 “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”

1 Peter 2:24 “ "He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed."

Jesus brings healing to the “plague of my heart”. His wounds on the cross heal me. They bring me a life of righteousness.

My Mind goes to the man in John 5 who was paralyzed for 38 years. Diseased and dying and totally unable to help himself. He isn’t even looking for healing from Jesus. His whole focus is on healing from another source. He is hopeless and helpless. Jesus, bending over him, asks this question, “Wilt thou be made whole?” John 5:6 Jesus asks me the same question. Do you want to be made whole? Do you want the plague of your heart removed? Do you want to be healed?

“Through the same faith we may receive spiritual healing. By sin we have been severed from the life of God. Our souls are palsied. Of ourselves we are no more capable of living a holy life than was the impotent man capable of walking. There are many who realize their helplessness, and who long for that spiritual life which will bring them into harmony with God; they are vainly striving to obtain it. In despair they cry, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?" Rom. 7:24, margin. Let these desponding, struggling ones look up. The Saviour is bending over the purchase of His blood, saying with inexpressible tenderness and pity, "Wilt thou be made whole?" He bids you arise in health and peace. Do not wait to feel that you are made whole. Believe His word, and it will be fulfilled. Put your will on the side of Christ. Will to serve Him, and in acting upon His word you will receive strength. Whatever may be the evil practice, the master passion which through long indulgence binds both soul and body, Christ is able and longs to deliver. He will impart life to the soul that is "dead in trespasses." Eph. 2:1. He will set free the captive that is held by weakness and misfortune and the chains of sin.” D.A 203

Lord heal me today. Set me free.