The Illustrious Captain
Look up “Lusty” in almost any dictionary and you will find it means “full of strength and vitality… hearty… robust… enthusiastic.” We speak, for example, of someone having “a lusty spirit of adventure,” or enjoying the robust flavour of “a lusty stew,’ or singing with enthusiasm “a lusty rendition of a song.” Similarly we describe radiant things as “a lustrous fabric,” “a lustrous glowing gem,” or the desirable character of “a lustrous example” we ought to follow.
These words all put a confusingly positive spin on what seems to be their root word, “lust.” In fact, it almost sounds like a full-blown “lust” should be descriptive of a man or woman at their best — the fullest expression of one’s potential!
This makes me pause, for in a very true way a full-blown lustfulness of all things carnal and contrary to holiness is exactly descriptive of the human heart at maximum potential!
We don’t like to hear that…. That small teeny- weeny sin or rebellion or hardness of heart is just a wee little degree of deviance. But keep travelling just one degree off course and see where you arrive given the unending duration of eternity.
The problem is our heart… our fallen heart — and it’s the only heart we have. One’s heart is the helm of one’s ship and it’s navigation is broken. A new helm, a new heart, and a new Captain are needed. The best this broken one can do will always steer us to destruction.
Lust is sin. And lust of all kinds is all this dark heart can produce (see Gal. 5:19-21). But the glorious promise of God is this:
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezek. 36:26).
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17).
So move over… give Christ the helm. Let Him replace that broken navigation with the guiding voice and power of His Spirit… His Heart. See what wonders He will work (see Gal. 5:22-26).
Be filled with the illustrious Christ!
More tomorrow…
To hear Pastor Andrew’s Sunday message, go to the Facebook page of Lincoln Baptist Church, or link to the livestream from the church website.
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