Lev Basar

Lev Basar  “Heart of Flesh”

A new devotional from Mission Bend UMC looks at having a Lev Basar (Heart of Flesh) and how it is part of the human experience and of our journey of faith in seeking God and connecting to others.

Thought:

“Lev Basar” from Hebrew, means Heart of Flesh. This is a heart that is not perfect. This is a heart that is not necessarily steadfast and strong. This is a heart that is human. This is a heart that thinks, questions, wonders, searches, and is real. Lev Basar is a heart that although it is aware of the truth and strength of its Creator, is also a heart that is imperfect. One Hasidic teaching presents the concept – “There’s nothing as whole as a broken heart.”  I offer the coinciding concept that a stone heart or a robotic heart or more clearly defined – a heart that is unmoving or unaltering, is one that is not human. Or at least not one open to change or progress or feelings or emotions.

 When Ezekiel was in Babylon, far from his homeland, he wrote of this concept of Lev Basar. He utilized this time to realize that God, His Creator had not given him a heart that could not or would not alter but instead one that would meet new situations and even more importantly, existing situations with a sense of boldness. He questioned God and questioned the environment that he was thrust into, and he did it with a God-given heart of flesh.

 We instruct our children not to necessarily accept statements or ideas from a stranger. We teach them to question the words until they are assured of the truth. We teach them not to accept the first proposal by someone as a concrete and unwavering truth, but rather to trust their “gut” and their heart to know that is alright to wonder about the validity of any words. If we teach our children such a skill, then why would we think that it is not acceptable to allow ourselves to have a heart that questions? Our Sunday School classes, and our Bible Studies and our Pulpit exhortations often speak of the importance of accepting Biblical Words as the complete and whole truth without question. If you do not, it is rumored that your faith is weak, and your heart is not in the “right place” with Christ. I suggest to you that not only is this not the best method of teaching Gods’ Word, but it can also be presented for debate that it is no better than cultism. Jesus felt and thought and questioned many things. Think about His temptations in the desert. Think about the multiple times he retreated to pray. Think about Gethsemane. Even Jesus took time to contemplate and look within and to look to God, even boldly going as far as to ask,

“My Father, if it’s possible, take this cup of suffering away from me.”  — Matthew 26:39b —

I must admit openly that my Christian path is strewn with the questions of my Lev Basar. Yet, just as in school, or in life experience, I discovered, to my dismay, that blind obedience was not the answer. Many times in my life, I have let those in so-called authority wrongly guide me, more aptly stated, “push” me into situations that were dangerous, hurtful, or just plain innocuously fruitless. This was due to my resignation of accepting everything without inquiry. Yet, as maturity and wisdom tends to do, came lessons that taught the concepts of inquisitiveness and openness were much healthier and long-lasting than blind faith.

We pray daily for stronger and unquavering faith. This is a good thing, for without a sturdy foundation there is no edifice that will stand strongly. Yet, let us also not build on that foundation with unanswered questions, unopposed concepts, and blindness that darkens our decision-making process. Instead, in our journey, as we build upwards, let us openly look at each “floor” and open our hearts to innovative ideas and faith-building concepts.

PRAYER: 

Our Creator, who gave us our minds and our bodies, hear our prayer. Help us to have Lev Basar, a heart of flesh. Help us feel, think, grow, and learn. Help us Creator Father, to always know You are the Truth but that the Truth can withstand our humanness. Like Jesus, help us to go to You in prayer with full hearts.  AMEN.