The Law Written On Our Heart

A story is told about a Native American and his friend were in downtown New York City, walking near Times Square in Manhattan. It was during the noon lunch hour and the streets were filled with people. Cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing, and the sounds of the city were almost deafening. Suddenly, the Native American said, “I hear a cricket.”"

His friend said, "What?  You must be crazy. You couldn't possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!" "No, I'm sure of it," the Native American said, "I heard a cricket." "That's crazy," said the friend.

The Native American listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street to a big cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches, and sure enough, he located a small cricket. His friend was utterly amazed.

"That's incredible," said his friend. "You must have super-human ears!" "No," said the Native American. "My ears are no different from yours. It all depends on what you're listening for."

"But that can't be!" said the friend. "I could never hear a cricket in this noise." "Yes, it's true," came the reply. "It depends on what is really important to you. Here, let me show you."

He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk. And then, with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their ears, they noticed every head within twenty feet turn and look to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs.

"See what I mean?" asked the Native American. "It all depends on what's important to you."

For application, the questions asked are: "What's important to us? For what do we listen? God writes His New Law on our heart (Hebrews 8:8-10). Here is the significant difference between the old covenant and the new. To many under the old covenant, the law of God was just a law inscribed on stones. The law never became part of their lives. They did not understand it, nor did they live by it.

The new covenant, however, requires a mental agreement and submission to its teaching. The new covenant is a life-giving power inscribed on our heart. God writes His law on our heart only as we are willing to have it on our heart (John 6:44-45). As a result, we must hear and learn. If our Bible is laid upon a shelf, collecting dust, it doesn't do us any good. The word must be implanted into our heart (James 1:21). When we hear, learn, and submit to the new law, God grants remission of our sins (Hebrews 8:11-12).

Those who have received the Law (have heard, learned, and obeyed the new law) are the ones who have the Law of God written on their heart. How about you? What is important to you? For what do you listen? You do have a choice to receive the Law of God into your heart, or to reject it. Which will you choose?