The Thoughts of His Heart

"Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Genesis 6:5

In Genesis 6:5, it states that "the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." The implication of this statement is that the very core of mankind's nature is evil. Within his being, there is not only the absence of goodness but a continual progression toward the things which are perverse. In a later verse in chapter 8, his inherent state of evil is described as "the imagination of man's heart." This would point to the idea that man is constantly plotting wicked plans.

When man is left to his own devices, there is destruction, revealing the natural effects of sin. Sin corrupts the soul of man, holding captive his every thought and intention to the submission of evil, while deceiving him into to believing that he is enpowered. Sin controls his life, without him even realizing it. And without him knowing it, it ruins it to the point of death. Nevertheless, that which was destroyed can still be repaired to a certain degree.

In the story of Noah, God displays His grace as he permits Noah and his family to repent of their sins and follow His ways. By allowing God to enter their hearts and permeate their souls, they enabled Him to halt the infestation and corruption of sin. However, had not Noah and his family determined to accept God's grace, they would have been destroyed like the rest of the world.

Likewise, we need to accept God's grace, in order to be delivered from our own sinful nature. John the Baptist called the people to repentence, conveying the reality of man's being. John made it clear that man needs to turn from his wicked ways, as a first step to salvation. We need to recognize that we are not in control, and that we need God to come into our lives, in order to restore and renew our heart and thoughts.


Dear God,

I pray that You would remove all the wicked thoughts that defile and corrupt my soul. Please come into my life and dominate my heart so that everything I produce, whether in my imagination or in my actions would be pure and pleasing in Your sight.