Good morning! You may be surprised, but the message of this verse was driven home by an English professor at the community college I attended in Florida.

During my first two years of college, I sensed a call to ministry. As a result, I worked to put Scripture in all of my papers–much to the dismay of my professors. Yet one professor, Mr. Fleming, engaged this. In one of my papers, I quoted Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” When Mr. Fleming returned our papers, he gave me mine and said, “Be very careful, Mr. Perry. Be very careful.” I opened up my paper, and in the margin beside my quote of Jeremiah 17:9 was…

Jeremiah 17:10.

Who can know the condition of our hearts? Who can understand it? No one but God. The Father sent His Son to rescue us from the deceitful sickness that besets us. And the Spirit examines, searches, and rewards! Mr. Fleming was right in more ways than one. Be careful not only of careless writing and communication but also be careful to recognize the warnings of God’s Word.