On a dark, calm night Israeli soldiers quietly entered a large expanse of land along the Syrian border in the Golan Heights. “Stop!” a solider urgently commanded.  “We are in a minefield!”  Everyone froze.

How were they to safely move ahead or retreat? In order to proceed across the open field, their only option was to remove the mines one at a time. Crouching down, the soldiers cautiously felt for mines. Using their bayonets, they painstakingly dug out mines buried 25-30 centimeters deep and disarmed them.  Progress was very slow. With no trees, once the sun came up, they would be sitting ducks. Success was impossible.  One soldier uttered a prayer. ¹

Suddenly a mighty wind swept across the land!
Commander David Yaniv said, “The storm was so strong it felt we were flying away!” Then as suddenly as the wind began it stopped. Looking around the soldiers saw that thousands of minefields were now all exposed. Their path was no longer obstructed and they walked safely through the field. It was a miracle. ¹

This is just one of the true miracles from the Yom Kippur War.

The war began October 6, 1973 on the holiest Jewish day, Yom Kippur, when a coalition of Arab states attacked Israel. It lasted until October 25, 1973.

Surprise! An attack on Yom Kippur seemed like a perfect day to catch Israel unprepared. All Israeli soldiers were at Yom Kippur services and unprepared to do battle. Odds were against Israel but heavenly odds made it a certain victory.  With its’ small army on leave for the Holy Day, Israel may not have been prepared for battle physically, but they were prepared spiritually.

You see, Yom Kippur is the single day of the year dedicated to prayer and repentance; turning away from sins and turning to God. On that day, Jews were asking forgiveness and turning to God.

God was exposing more than mines; God was exposing sin in hearts.

We do not have to wait for Yom Kippur.
We can choose any day to turn away from our sins and turn to God who is available every day, 24/7.

When we ask, God will expose the minefield of sins in our hearts just like He exposed the mines for the soldiers. Like the mines were a danger to the soldiers, the sins in our hearts are a danger to us.

What could possibly be in our hearts that is dangerous?

How about things that defile us? Things that defile us poison our hearts and keep us from finding the peace, victory and the abundant life God has for us.  Mark 7: 20-23 lists just such things.

He, (Jesus), went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.  All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” Mark 7: 20-23 NIV

Are these things really sin? They don’t break the 10 commandments. Aren’t those the only sins?
Hmm!

Let’s look at them more closely and you decide.

What would be the motivation behind breaking one of the 10 commandments, (Exodus 20:3-7)? See what you think of these examples;

You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. Exodus 20:16

Could malice motivate someone to lie?

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. Exodus 20:17

Isn’t envy behind coveting?

You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3

Doesn’t arrogance make us think we know better than God?

Do you think we could find underlying heart issues behind the breaking of every one of the 10 commandments? 

Look closely.

At first glance?
Heart issues may not be apparent in the 10 commandments.
On closer inspection?
We may see dangerous sins that defile our hearts and obstruct the abundant life God wants for us.

At first glance?
It was not apparent that the soldiers were walking into danger.
On closer inspection?
The soldiers saw the dangerous minefield they had entered.

When the storm came, it revealed the extent of the danger the soldiers were in. It also revealed the unobstructed path God provided to bring them to safety.

Sometimes our heart issues are not apparent either. Sometimes it takes a storm in our lives or a prayer to our God to reveal the danger of any sin in our hearts. But revelation and forgiveness can remove the obstructions from God’s path for us.

As we listen, God will expose the sins in our hearts so we have the opportunity to ask forgiveness and gain peace. No matter what sins we have committed, our loving God is faithful to graciously forgive us.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
 1 John 1:9

Oh! Don’t forget the faith part! Once we have asked forgiveness, let’s stand in faith believing we are forgiven just as He promised.

As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12

REFLECTION 

Do you believe that sin goes deeper than the 10 commandments?

PRAYER

As you say this prayer, personalize it by asking forgiveness for any sins God brings to your mind. 

Heavenly Father as I write 1 John 1:9 and say it aloud, please reveal the sins in my heart to me. Forgive me for  (say sins)  and help me to remember that in Your love and mercy, You have been faithful to forgive me. In Jesus name, Amen.

IN FAITH BELIEVE THAT GOD FORGIVES YOU

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1 War facts from; Against All Odds: Israel Survives movie, Wikipedia
Minefield photo, David L, pixabay
Prayer photo, Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Child photo, Jonathan Borba, unsplash
Dog photo, Sebastien Marty, pixabay