Two Ways To Improve Your Heart Murmur {Introducing: Meditation of My Heart Mondays}

"Let the words of my mouth and the 

meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, 

O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."

{Psalm 19:14}

They say I have a wicked heart murmur.

When the doctor puts the stethoscope to his ear he hears an extra whooshing sound between the heartbeats. I can't hear these extra heart sounds that are a result of turbulent blood flow, but the ongoing murmur is detected every time I am examined.

Although heart murmurs are not always a major problem, it's obviously not the way the heart is meant to sound. Unfortunately, in my case, there is a concern and my cardiologist has taken a watch and wait approach to see how to best handle my heart.

It's not only my physical heart, but my spiritual heart is defective and wicked.

I've been given a new heart, but the murmurings that are too often heard are a result of the turbulence deep within.

I'm ashamed about the way I whip my tongue out and slash with my words and how it hurts those nearest to me. The struggle within is heard without a stethoscope and at times those closest to me take a watch and wait approach to determine how to best handle this raging fire.

"I love God’s law with all my heart.

But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind.

This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me."
{Romans 7:22,23}

It's only the first Monday on the threshold of the new year and you may be already wondering how you'll get through your day.

How many biting words before breakfast? How many mumblings before morning coffee?

Let's stop before we go any further, shall we?

We won't be taming any tongues on our own.

We need assistance.

"Oh, what a miserable person I am!

Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
{Romans 7:24,25}

The answer is The Word that became flesh.

We are utterly dependent on the work of God in our inner being to transform us into His likeness.

By the grace of God, and the work Christ has accomplished, we are washed.

May our prayer this day, yes, even every day this year be like the Psalmist.

That our words and our mediations would be an acceptable and sweet offering.

That the sound of our hearts would beat in time to the steady beat of God's heart.

"The pious meditations of the heart must not be smothered, but expressed in the words of our mouth, for God's glory and the edification of others; and the words of our mouth in prayer and praise must not be formal, but arising from the meditation of the heart." {Matthew Henry}

The Word of God is living and active. It's not mere words meant only to be read. It's meant to reveal to us what is in our hearts.

So this is how we should handle the sharpest double-edged sword that has the power to pierce as far as the division of soul and spirit. As the murmurs of our hearts beat in rhythm to God's and our hearts are purified the words of our mouths will drip pleasant like honey. 

Treasure God's Word
Make your heart a storehouse for the riches of the Words of God that they might get into your soul that you might never forget them.
We need not only read His Holy Words, but we must memorize them.
We need His message to be clear in our minds and our hearts.

Meditate on God's Word
Literally murmur it, turn these precious words over in your thoughts.
It's not a clearing of the mind, but a cleansing with the words the very water washing over our thoughts.
Mutter the words over and over. Muse about God's Word to yourself.
Contemplate His Words and deeds.
Preach it to yourself.

And offer it up as an offering to your Redeemer.

What has been the meditation of your heart today? And how has it helped the words of your mouth be sweet?


{Stay tuned for we're hoping to add a link-up in the weeks to come, Lord willing, so you can link up your posts on the beautiful truths from God's Word on which you have been meditating.}


*linking with Inspire Me Monday