Mouth vs. Heart

The prophet Jeremiah gives us a captivating picture of the wicked. He says, “you [God] are near in their mouth and far from their heart” (12:2). He is not alone in this assessment. In Isaiah, God describes a people as “honor[ing Him] with their lips, but their hearts are far from [Him]” (29:13). Then, in the New Testament, Jesus quotes this verse and ascribes it to the Pharisees and scribes, saying, “You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me’” (Matthew 15:7-8). 

Jesus spoke those words to the most religious, educated, and moral people of His day. If anyone would have known God and had Him near their hearts, you would suppose it was this group. However, this would be a false picture because their nearness to God was only in their words. Even further, these words were insincere. They were focused on their own rules and commandments more than those of the Lord. 

This should serve as a startling warning for us. It is possible to honor God with our lips but be far from Him. We can go to church, pray, read the Bible, and do good things while not truly knowing God. 

I have grown up and lived in the South my entire life. I went to a public school where, if a student said they were not a Christian, they were questioned and even sometimes ostracized because they did not have the same religious beliefs as most of the student population. Yet, while most of the people I grew up around claim to be Christians or even go to church, tragically, that is as far as some of these people’s relationship with God goes. You can go to church and say you believe all the right Christian things, but are you living for Christ? Do you walk with Him daily? Or do you honor Him with your lips only because of the culture around you?

God desires that we would be a people who keep Him near our mouths but also near our hearts. We should share the gospel, the truth of salvation in Christ, and make our beliefs about Jesus known to the world. But this must come from a place of knowing God. We must have this intimate, abiding relationship with the Father from which our words about Him flow. If He is not near our hearts, our words are ultimately empty. We deceive others and possibly even fool ourselves. 

This may be a pointed question, but it bears asking nonetheless: are you near God in words or in your heart? Do you truly know God, or just say that you do? Are you a Christian in name only, or do you daily die to yourself and let Christ live through you? 

Walk with the Lord and keep Him near your heart. Or, if you do not know Him, why not ask Him for a new heart today (Ezekiel 36:26)? If we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). Thanks be to God.