Have you ever heard anyone say: “What really matters is what is in your heart.”? The phase usually is used when our thoughts or actions fall short, but our intentions & motive was correct. It clearly is a key biblical truth. In 1 Samuel 16:7 the Scripture says, But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” But the heart is only one of the elements that Jesus tells us to use in our love of God. I had read that, sometimes, we can fall into the trap of thinking that a mind which digs deep into the truths of Scripture and Christian theology, seeking to know our Lord God Almighty, our Maker, is not compatible with a heart, will and emotion that is passionate about Christ and His kingdom. We do not want to separate heart love from head knowledge, but utilize both in our Christian walk.
Luke 12:34 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Isn’t it true that we cannot fully love someone that we do not know? We may see what they say and do, but we need to get to know someone, before we really know them personally and truly love them for who they are inside. And we cannot fruitfully love God either if we do not know Him. Not knowledge for knowledge sake, but knowledge that produces the love that builds us up. We can have heads full of knowledge that never penetrates our hearts, but our hearts cannot fully adore the Lord unless we love Him with our minds. Sanctification is the process of maturing in Christ and growing in knowledge of the Lord through life. Worship and Praise at church, Bible Study, Devotional reading, Prayer, Mission work, Evangelism, Stewardship, pursuing Jesus as an outward expression of an inward devotion to learn from and follow the Savior to see how it fits together and informs all of life, out of pure love of God, with heart, mind & soul.
Romans 2:28-29 “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.”
Love
the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your
soul, and with all your mind. Know God, grow in Christ and make Him known.
In Christ, Brian