Heart.

The Lord often puts words or short phrases at my attention.

Themes.

My God understands that so often my mind is simple and things presented to me repeatedly and often are hard to dismiss.

HEART.

Over the passed few weeks this word has come before me.


Valentines Day, The death of a dear friend’s father, Songs, Poems, Scripture


I tell you that from the shape of the candy I have eaten to the songs I have had stuck in my head- to the very core of my prayers- HEART has been present.

As I often do- I layed in bed at night tossing, turning and trying to figure out what the Lord had for me here.

Two weeks ago I decided to document how I felt my very heart could be described.
I wrote these words:

Full

Tired

Restless



My heart is full. Why?

Because Jesus is so near. He has been sweet to remind me of this so often in this current season.



My heart is tired. Why?

Change will make us weary. Life presents constant opportunity for anxiety and fear.


My heart is restless. Why?

I could not come up with an answer here…the sweetness of this unknown answer will come later.


I began to ask the Lord to teach me.

Show me, King Jesus, what you would like for me to saturate into my spirit.


I LOVE words. I love knowing what they mean. Where they came from.



Heart in medical terms has one definition (I think this can go without copying & pasting)

However- I was delighted to find these alternative definitions for heart-

-The center or innermost part

-Essential portion

-The most vital part of something



Our hearts are important. Central. Essential. Vital.



Sure- our human hearts are vital. They must work correctly so that we may continue to have breath and life.


But- oh- how much more important is our spiritual heart. Our very central and vital core of US.



To whom does your VITAL ESSENTIAL CORE belong?

I believe that many of us (guilty as charged) would say that our hands could raise here and proclaim with great confidence “JESUS CHRIST!”



I do love the Lord and desire His will for my life- no matter the cost.

I do trust that God is good and sovereign over all things- even when I just simply do not understand.

BUT (this is a huge but)

I still daily strive to please people- often forsaking striving to please Christ


I still allow my emotions to get caught up in the things of this world rather than finding satisfaction and delight in Jesus


I still am surprised when people let me down and leave me- even when my heart of hearts knows I can only rely of my God- who is near and the same yesterday today and forever.


Matthew 6:21 says clearly-
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”



If I am making the things of the world my treasure, forsaking Christ, then it would make sense for my heart to be weary and tired. Unsatisfied.

I adore music. I always have. I enjoy lyrics and have always had a fondness for songs that I connect with.

I have had a song- a phrase of a song, really- stuck in my head since January.


“Does anybody know how to hold my heart? How to hold my heart?

Because I don’t want to let go, let go, let go too soon.”

(S. Bareilles. Hold My Heart)



I identify with these words. Do you?

Who on this earth knows how to hold my heart?

People hurt us, have hurt us, will hurt us, etc.


On this earth- in our relationships- we must be so careful in who we allow ourselves to become close with and cling to-

Because truly, in an instant, they could be gone and our hearts could be battered and bruised.

Stay with me.


For a while I thought nothing of it- I have songs stuck in my head constantly.


Warning- This is ultra-corny.

I cannot help how sweet the Lord is in timing and in detail.


I was driving. I was singing. (Typical.)

“Does anybody know how to hold my heart because I do not want to let go to soon….”


Like a wave over me- in the loudest and strongest whisper-

My sweet Child- I will hold your heart with tender care. I will cradle you. I will protect you.

You may surrender fully because I fully love you. I am not going anywhere.

LET.GO.



Are you crying? I am crying. I was crying.



How could I be so blind?



This heart of mine is restless and tired because I am trying to take care of it on my own- in my own power.

Father- forgive me for not giving you my heart fully.



Y’all- I got to my apartment and had to lay myself down for the Lord was faithful to show up and I was overwhelmed.



You see- in this world our hearts are presented with much to bear but we cannot forget that we are not called to live this life on our own.

We are called to give up this life (our hearts) and ABANDON ourselves to the things of Jesus.



As many of our students and adults learned with us this weekend- to abandon our lives for a life that follows Christ is an “all or nothing” event.

We cannot abandon without empty hands and opened arms.



In the same way- we cannot have a heart devoted to the things of Christ unless it is a WHOLE heart.


Deuteronomy 10:12 says

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul…”


I adore the way this next word of God is phrased...

Deuteronomy 30:6b says

“…love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live”


A heart that is fully committed to the things of Christ produces LIFE.



So- I ask you this day- What is keeping you from your HEART being full of the things of Christ?


I must tell you that some of the things on my list are so very dear to me.

Hard to give up.

Will be painful to distance myself from.


Yet- my sweet sweet friends- I am learning that pain in giving up things to Jesus is a sweet pain. A worthy misery.



I believe that we (many of us) have also learned together that this life is not about our comfort or happiness-

It is about our faithfulness to the gospel and the things of our Savior.



With tears in my eyes- because I know what this abandon may cost you- I challenge you to give your heart fully to Jesus.

He is worthy of our lives. Fully and completely abandoned to His will for His name sake.



I will leave you with this sweet poem that was shared in a devotion I read called “Streams in the Desert”



Dear restless heart, be still; don’t fret and worry so;
God has a thousand ways His love and help to show;
Just trust, and trust and trust, until His will you know.

Dear restless heart, be still, for peace is God’s own smile,
His love can every wrong and sorrow reconcile;
Just love, and love, and love, and calmly wait awhile.

Dear restless heart, be brave; don’t moan and sorrow so,
He hath a meaning kind in chilly winds that blow;
Just hope, and hope, and hope, until you braver grow.

Dear restless heart, repose upon His breast this hour,
His grace is strength and life, His love is bloom and flower;
Just rest, and rest, and rest, within His tender power.

Dear restless heart, be still! Don’t struggle to be free;
God’s life is in your life, from Him you may not flee;
Just pray, and pray, and pray, till you have faith to see.

by Edith Willis Linn



Trust. Love. Hope. Rest. Pray.

Our God is faithful.



Many Blessings.