Heart Fitness

“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.”
--Psalm 139:23-24

The late great coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Tom Landry, once described the kind of character he was looking for in team members:

“Give me a choice between an outstanding athlete with poor character and a lesser athlete of good character, and I’ll choose the latter every time. The athlete with good character will often perform to his fullest potential and be a successful football player; while the outstanding athlete with poor character will usually fail to play up to his potential and often won’t even achieve average performance.”

Landry was always on the lookout for athletes who would perform up to their potential. He was looking for players who were fit in their hearts. Players fit in their hearts would realize their potential on the field. They would pursue Super Bowls with dogged tenacity.

I believe if I were to take a poll of Lockhart Christians, I would find that we have a decent understanding of God’s plan to keep us spiritually fit—undoubtedly you would mention practices like studying the Bible, regular time set aside for prayer, attending worship, and experiencing the support and fellowship of other Christians. But, like most things in life, knowing and doing are two different things. Many modern Christians struggle with having the heart for these practices that develop a richer, fuller spiritual life. This weakness in our Christian character is keeping many followers of Jesus from realizing their fullest potential to be used by God and from experiencing the fullest joy from their relationship with Christ.

The psalmist was asking for a fit heart. He wanted insight into his own life so that he might live in a way that pleased God. A God-pleasing life, he knew, leads to a “way everlasting”—a joyful, significant, blessed life. To that end, he asks God to purge every thought, attitude, belief or behavior that offended God’s sensibilities. He is asking God to help him live to his fullest potential.

The psalmist provides an excellent example for life on the “way everlasting.” We can’t reach our fullest potential along the Way without God’s help. The psalmist knew that our heart fitness improves with prayer…Prayer that asks God for insight into our lives…Prayer that welcomes God’s testing and accountability…Prayer the makes us open to God’s tough, but merciful, soul-cleansing.

Heart fitness helps us reach our fullest potential as followers of Christ. We are able to love more fully. We are able to worship more fully. We feel more fully connected to and grounded in God. This is the good life…this is the “way everlasting.” It’s ours for the asking!