Tag: heart

To Hear God’s Thoughts

by Nicky Wood

I believe that one of the most important things in my walk with God is the ability to discern His voice and to hear the Holy Spirit speak to my heart. Yet, this is the area that I often struggle with the most. I get frustrated if I don’t hear anything from Him when I need His direction, or when I thought I heard something specific, yet circumstances dictate otherwise.

For all the big decisions in life, and even all the little things, I want to be sure that I follow His leading and His voice. But God remains God, and His ways are sometimes shrouded in mystery (Job 11:7). What He tells us may not always be what we want to hear, but it will always be what we need to hear.

The Bible says in Amos 4:13 that God “…reveals his thoughts to mankind”. What a powerful verse! The God of the Universe is willing to share His thoughts with us! David even declares in Psalm 139:17-18 how precious God’s thoughts are to him. And he says that if he were to count them they would outnumber the grains of sand… God will never run out of things to say to us! I also believe that He speaks uniquely to each individual because of His perfect understanding of each heart that He created.

We know that He most often speaks through Scripture, and through other believers and circumstances, but there is a very special joy found in discerning His voice when He speaks to our hearts individually and directly. And although people very seldom experience an audible voice from God, I think of Samuel, lying in bed one night and hearing a voice calling him by name. He had never heard from the Lord before, and so he thought that it was Eli calling him. I love this story because it speaks so much of the character and the heart of our God. He did not want to frighten the boy by bellowing down in thunder and lightning from heaven and commanding the young prophet to listen. Instead, He patiently calls out three times in a voice that the boy must have felt very comfortable and familiar with (to believe it was Eli).

The thing is, God wants to speak to us. I know that I don’t always make the time to quiet my heart and listen to what He has to say. It’s much easier to have a one-sided conversation and ask Him what I need, but by doing so I know that I am losing out on one of the most precious gifts that God has given us, to be able to discern His voice and hear His thoughts.

Song of Songs 8:13: “O my darling, lingering in the gardens, your companions are fortunate to hear your voice. Let me hear it, too!”

In our love relationship with Jesus, He desires to hear our voice, just like the longing of the groom for his bride’s voice in Solomon’s beautiful portrayal from Song of Songs. But as in any two-sided relationship, He also has something to say. Even if it is just to tell you how much He loves you. Won’t you give Him the opportunity and open your heart to hear Him speak to you?

Treasure Your Heart

by Nicky Wood

Luke 2:19 (NIV): “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

Luke 2:51: “Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.”

The Bible tells us that the heart is the “wellspring of life” – Proverbs 4:23. Taking a moment to look at Jesus’ mother’s heart, I find it so interesting that Luke makes specific mention of what was happening inside Mary’s heart not just once, but twice. Luke was a doctor. Well acquainted with human anatomy, he would have been fully aware of the fact that the heart is a vital organ within the body and that our very lives depend on it functioning correctly.

Metaphorically, it is literally the “wellspring of life” as Proverbs so eloquently points out. Why? The heart functions as a pump – while pumping blood to the body, as the earth needs the water of a spring – at the same time it also gets rid of excess toxins that are damaging to the body. If the water drawn out of a spring is toxic, it will kill every living thing that comes into contact with it. It is of vital importance that the spring is pure.

Luke wants the reader to know that Mary held a treasure in her heart (the treasure of the events around Jesus’ birth and later the knowledge of the young boy Jesus’ astonishing wisdom as He taught in the temple). Mary didn’t know at this point what you and I know now. She couldn’t possibly have comprehended the weight of the importance and significance throughout humanity and history of what was taking place in her life right at that moment. There were so many things that probably felt completely out of control to her. But there was one thing that she did have control over. The treasure in her heart. In fact, she held in her heart the same One that she cradled in her arms – Jesus – the eternal Spring of Living Water.

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

What you treasure, will determine the wellspring of your life.

This is why Proverbs 4:23 states: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” That first part – “Above all else” is significant. If the wisest man on earth wrote a letter to me personally, and started it with “Above all else” – I would certainly be paying close attention.

Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things…” I don’t think that it is a coincidence that we get to see almost that exact same phrase again “Above all things/Above all else”.

No wonder we should guard our hearts. Its natural inclination is deceitfulness. You cannot trust it. The world tells you to follow your heart. This is a lie, designed to lead you into a life of unhappiness and pain because your heart on its own can never have the capacity of leading you to a life of abundance and blessing. It has to be protected and purified. Only God can protect and purify our hearts if we allow Him to and if we treasure Him and Him alone, if we are willing to open the door of our hearts, where He is standing and knocking, waiting patiently.

Instead of following our hearts, we are called to protect our hearts. This does not specifically mean we should hide our hearts from people in an attempt not to get emotionally hurt. Rather, it requires filtering what we allow into our deepest being and choosing deliberately and daily not to love anything or anyone more than God.

I sometimes wonder what does the “water” look like that comes out of my heart. Is it pure enough to quench the thirst of a human race – thirsty for anything that will still the ache in their hearts? Has it become toxic due to bitterness or unforgiveness and resentments that have been left there for so long, that it has poisoned the spring? Are we protecting our hearts? Are we actively keeping away the pollution of the world on a daily basis by filtering what we see and hear? Things like pornography, violence, lust, lies, or anything that tempts us to look away from Jesus as our ultimate Source and anything that can possibly steal the treasure that we as believers are destined for – the Kingdom of Heaven.

If you believed that you carried a treasure in your heart, like Mary did, would you not do anything in your power to protect it?

Even when our hearts become polluted, Jesus can filter the water immediately, all it takes is surrendering your heart to His Heart.

John 20:34: “Instead one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.”

Jesus’ heart was pierced so ours can be healed.

I know that Jesus heals our broken hearts every time. If you feel like the Spring has run dry, the Treasure is lost and you have nothing left to give, and all has been taken away from you, remember the cup of his blood that runs red because of His love – a love that will never leave the pieces of your heart on the ground and untouched. Every piece of your heart is designed to fit into His heart, the size of which is unfathomable.

Whenever I have found myself running after things that the world tells me my heart should desire, I have always ended up lost and disillusioned. This is why it is so important to protect our hearts because the enemy will try his best to deceive it time and again.

“The human heart has an infinite capacity for happiness and an unending need for love, because it is created for an infinite God who is unending love”. (John and Stasi Eldredge – Love & War)

In our desperate pursuit of finding treasure, may we know that the greatest treasure is having Jesus, right in the centre of our hearts. If we choose to drink the water He gives us, we will never be thirsty again. (John 4:14)