Discover Jesus’ Heart…and Yours

There is something ‘eternal’ about love stories, isn’t there?  Paris & Helen of Troy, Cleopatra & Mark Antony, Romeo & Juliet, Elizabeth Bennet & Mr. Darcy…  The fact that these stories have endured as timelessly as they have tells us something about the human heart:  That we long for love, are moved by stories of intimacy (“in-to-me-see”), and to our core are attracted to the idea of passionate pursuit.  Could it be that this universal Heart-desire, so fundamental to our humanity… is God-given?  …intended for sacred fulfillment?  …actually spiritual?

Jeremiah 31:3b-4 (AMP)

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you. Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel!  You will again be adorned… And go out to the dances of those who celebrate.

Isaiah 54:5-6, 8 (NIV)

For your Maker is your husband—the Lord Almighty is his name…  The Lord will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit…  In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer.

In what ways do these scriptures convey that our relationship with God is somewhat a ‘sacred love-story’?

We have many terms in our society used to describe the condition of a person’s heart…  Broken-hearted, hard-heated, faint-hearted or flint-hearted.  We can say that someone has a heart of gold, or is kind-hearted.  We could encourage someone who is heart-sick, not to lose heart, and urge them to take-heart.  In our language, and in our song-lyrics as a society we inherently understand that the posture of persons heart is crucial to the quality of their life…

Your heart, according to scripture, is essentially the core of you… the true essence of who you are.  It is the central overlapping hub of your body, soul and spirit that pulses with emotion, and spiritual vitality.  Which is why the first and greatest command of all of scripture… to love the Lord with all our heart, is like the hinge-point of our human experience, intended to influence the direction of our lives.

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Luke 6:45 (NIV)

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Matthew 6:21 (NIV)

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Proverbs 17:22 (TPT)

A joyful, cheerful heart brings healing to both body and soul. But the one whose heart is crushed struggles with sickness and depression.

Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

What do these scriptures show us about how central our heart-health is to our destiny-story and life-trajectory?

Interestingly, the Bible has much to say on matters of the heart. With 725 references throughout scripture – God paints for us a picture of the human heart being far more than a mere organ that pumps blood.  No, according to scripture we believe with our heart, ponder in our heart, cherish in our heart, and treasure in our heart.  In fact, the literary style and structure of the Bible shows that God’s Word is more of a love-story for the heart than it is a textbook for the head, with 43% of it’s content being narrative (stories)… and another 33% being poetry (artistic prose meant to rouse an emotional response in the reader). 

Are you surprised to Discover that more than ¾ of the Bible could be categorised as ‘heart language’? (Narrative & Poetry)  How does it make you feel to learn that God is so invested in reaching your heart through the way He has inspired the writing style of His word?

If our relationship with God is meant to be somewhat like a ‘sacred love-story’, where His heart and our heart become one in Love… what do the following scriptures teach you about being a good ‘bridal partner’ to King Jesus?  What does He desire for your heart?

James 4:8 (TPT)

Move your heart closer and closer to God, and he will come even closer to you. But make sure you cleanse your life, you sinners, and keep your heart pure and stop doubting.

Proverbs 23:15 (NIV)

My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad indeed;

Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Colossians 3:1 (NIV)

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV)

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Proverbs 28:14 (TPT)

Overjoyed is the one who with tender heart trembles before God, but the stubborn, unyielding heart will experience even greater evil.

Mark 4:25 (TPT)

For those who listen with open hearts will receive more revelation. But those who don’t listen with open hearts will lose what little they think they have!”

The footnotes to the following Bible translation point out something incredibly powerful:

Proverbs 4:23 (TPT)

So above all, guard the affections of your heart (a), for they affect all that you are.  Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life (b).

(a) The Hebrew word for “heart” is levav and includes our thoughts, our wills, our discernment, and our affections.  (b) Although most translations have “the issues of life,” the Hebrew word yasa refers to “seasons,” especially springtime – which means a possible translation is that “Out of your heart flow the seasons of life.”   Meaning that it is our hearts, not our ages or circumstances, that shape the seasons of our lives. If our hearts are tender to God, we could live in perpetual springtime.  If we allow our hearts to become hard and dry we could subsequently find ourselves in a dry or barren season.

If this inside-out reality is true that the condition of our heart (including thoughts, will and affections) determines the seasonal flow of our lives… what sort of ‘season’ is your heart currently creating?  And what internal changes could you make to your present heart-condition to influence and altar your next season of life?