Heart Atheism

"The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God'" (Psalm 14:1) Psalm 14 invites us to reflect on at least two aspects of Christian spirituality. One is a frequent issue in the Psalms: unrighteousness people cause a great deal of injustice. These acts cause a great deal of pain for both the poor and the righteous (5 6). However, the psalmist reminds both the poor and the righteous that God is their refuge and the restorer of fortunes. In the end, evil doers will get their due. This invites us to reflect on our trust in God and His sovereign reign over this earth and over our lives. Do we truly believe that God with us? Now, we do need to be careful how we phrase things here. It is not that God is on our side. Rather, God has promised that evil will not go unpunished and that He will care for those who seek Him. Will we wait for Him before we seek vengeance on those who wrong us? The second aspect which is raised here also has to do with God's sovereignty. "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" Here lies a truth we need to reckon with, namely, that what comes out of our mouths has come from our hearts. From the Biblical vantage point, the heart is the centre of the human being. It is our core, the wellspring of our attitudes, feelings and beliefs. It is the great internal processor through which all that we receive through our ears & eyes gets processed, interpreted. It is not merely emotional, nor merely intellectual. It is the combination of both and more. These things, our emotions and our intellect, serve the heart. Thus, as Proverbs says, "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life" (4:23). Psalm 14 might be used to generate a diatribe against atheists outside the church. But that would be fruitless. It seems wiser to recognize that there are generally two very different kinds of atheists. There are atheists who vocalize their atheism for all to hear. But there are also many who say they believe in God with their mouths but live like atheists. They say that God is Lord of Creation but one rarely sees that confession being lived out. Psalm 14, then, invites us to examine our hearts. How much atheism lives within us? As we learn to trust God, the Spirit grows his fruit within us. We have the space to love others, and joy and peace are kindled deep within us. When we seek God's Kingdom, the Spirit's fruit grows. We seek this Kingdom when we trust God. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.