Grow Heart Grow

 

E. Stanley Jones speaks of the difference between "Thronging or Touching? when speaking of the woman with the issue of blood.  "If I were only to touch him, I would be healed" The disciples only saw the throngs of people, but Jesus felt her touch. He goes on to write, "Sunday after Sunday the multitudes go to church and listen.  Their thoughts throng Jesus.  But how many of the thronging multitudes really touch Him, set up a connection with Him, and live by Him?  How many touch Him so that they go away not merely better, but well?"

We have been influenced to believe that LOVE, is what we give and take. The crowds wanted without wonder, would take from HIM without touching They looked for Him, without longing.   They were inspired by what he said and did, but unlike the woman who threw herself against the crowd, just to touch his garment, she was changed.  Have we considered how different our relationships would be, if we, like her, experienced the transformation of His touch.

This would change our relationships, from expecting them to meet our needs, to pouring out love from a filled heart.  This kind of love takes the stretching of our hearts, to be filled up with His love.  Stretching that sometimes means laying down our own expectations.  The Love of God shed abroad in our hearts, looks very much like Paul's description of love in 1 Cor. 13 

Growing hearts IN HIS LOVE means Guarding them, too.  Max Lucado says it well in, Grace Moments:

Guard the Gateway

“The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to eat. Refuse to give in to him, by standing strong in your faith.” 1 Peter 5:8-9

You've got to admit, some of our hearts are trashed out. Let any riffraff knock on the door, and we throw it open. Anger shows up, and we let him in. Revenge needs a place to stay, so we have him pull up a chair. Pity wants to have a party; so we show him the kitchen. Lust rings the bell, and we change the sheets on the bed. Don't we know how to say no?

Many don't. For most of us, though management is, well, unthought of. We think much about time management, weight management, personal management, even scalp management. But what about thought management? Shouldn't we be as concerned about managing our thoughts as we are managing anything else? Jesus was. Like a trained soldier at the gate of a city, he stood watch over his mind. He stubbornly guarded the gate way of his heart....

If he did, shouldn't we...”