A Heart For Jesus

Oh Lord give me a heart that burns for you!  This has been a line in my prayers many times in the last 10 years.  A heart that burns for Jesus and is 100% surrendered to Him and whatever He requires of me.  I have actually believed it on occasion and thought that I was 100% surrendered to Him.  My heart felt like it burned for Him but alas there is nothing so deceitful as the human heart.  Psalm 51:10 says, “Lord search my heart and show me if there is any wicked way in me.”  I have also prayed that many, many times.  The Lord has been so gracious and tender with me but He cannot lie and very thankfully He will not leave us as He finds us.  And so the refining process that started the day we said, “yes Lord I believe”, will never be finished.

1st John 5:21  “Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.”

Matthew 6:21 “Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.”

Proverbs 27:19 “As a face is reflected in water, so their heart reflects the person.”

Proverbs 4:20-23 “Pay attention, my child, to what I say.  Listen carefully.  Don’t lose sight of my words.  Let them penetrate deep within your heart.  For they bring life and radiant health to anyone who discovers their meaning.  Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.”

There are so many more wonderful scriptures in the Bible that refer to our hearts.  The heart is truly our barometer of where we are in our personal life with Christ, how we live shows us where our heart’s are.  What we spend our time, money and other resources on shows us what is in our hearts. 

You have seen the commercial for a credit card where the big Viking guys are coming after some person who has just used a credit card and they are saying, “What’s in your wallet?”.  Each time I see that I think it should be one of the Lord’s warrior angels coming after us saying, “What’s in your Heart?”.  It’s that important.  Do you have room in your heart for the Lord?

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 “Hear, OIsrael!  The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.  And you must Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul and all your strength.”

To really love Him and be loved by Him so that we have it in our heart to love others as we are also commanded.  To be so taken by Him that we will desire with all of our heart, not just a part of it,  to spend time with Him getting to know Him and be known by Him.  He is the one who created us and who knows what we were made for.  To be His best friend and walk with Him.  Sharing our hearts and secrets with Him as He shares His with us.  To be trusted by Him as we trust Him.

Oh Lord this is the heart that I want!

He came to earth to save us, redeem us and unite us with Himself.  He calls us and He never gives up on us, even when we give up on ourselves.  During the month of January when we are all starting out fresh and making new goals, what a great time to start spending more time with the Lord, waiting on Him, to really hear from the One who knows the plans He has for us. (Jeremiah 29:11)  To sit at His feet in celebration of who He is and what He has done for us.

This year I am going to spend more time with Jesus, listening to His heart.  He knows the desires of my heart.  He put them there.  My hope is that next year, when I look back I will be much more the person that the Lord wants me to be.  My heart beating with His.  Thank you Lord that this is also what you want.  How much better can it be?

Kim