Fireproof Your Heart

Scripture

Our verse for today comes from Acts 19:19, ” Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. “

Background

Fireproof is a movie about a crumbling marriage. The husband, a fire chief, has major gripes about the respect he doesn’t get from his wife. She, a public relations specialist for the local hospital, feels unloved and unappreciated. With each little facet of every single day, an argument arises over who is to blame. He doesn’t communicate, she doesn’t consider him. It’s an ugly back and forth relationship that finally explodes, leading the wife to pursue a divorce. The husband’s dad, a strong Christian, comes alongside his son after the news and convinces him to delay any decisions he would make for forty days. He wants his son to read a book and follow the instructions of the Love Dare and see what effects it will have on his marriage. As the husband goes through each day, he does most of what is prescribed and checks it off the list. But in his frustration, he tells his dad that it’s not working. He has held his tongue, served his wife, and changed his actions, but she has not softened in her stance to leave him. But after meeting with his dad, he realizes his lack of sincerity, and accepting the revelation that Jesus went through so much more and was received so much worse, he surrenders his heart to Christ. And now the real changes begin.

Application

Previously, his two biggest vices revolved around his dream to own a boat, and spending his spare time looking at women on the computer. But one day, as he stared at the computer, he was moved to make a change. He unplugged the entire system and took it out into the yard. There he swung away at it with his baseball bat, completely destroying it and depositing it in his trash can. On the desk in its place, he left a note for his wife that simply read, ” I love you more. ” Eventually, as the husband faithfully served his wife to nurture the respect he had previously demanded, even sacrificing his boat money to minister to her sick mother, she believes he has truly changed, and she wants what he has. No price was too great in His walk with Christ, no cow too sacred to sacrifice.

Charge

As we seek Him today, look in your heart to see what is still hiding in there. Go ahead and destroy what Satan would have you keep in hopes of destroying you.