Finding God will all your heart.

The heart is the connecting point, the meeting place between any two persons. The kind of deep soul intimacy we crave with God and with others can be experienced only from the heart. I know a man who took his daughter to dinner; she was surprised, delighted. For years she had been hoping he would pursue her. When they had been seated, he pulled out his Day Timer and began to review the goals he had set for her that year. “I wanted to burst into tears and run out of the restaurant,” she said. We don’t want to be someone’s project; we want to be the desire of their heart. Gerald May laments, “By worshiping efficiency, the human race has achieved the highest level of efficiency in history, but how much have we grown in love?”

We’ve done the same to our relationship with God. Christians have spent their whole lives mastering all sorts of principles, done their duty, carried on the programs of their church . . . and never known God intimately, heart to heart. The point is not an efficient life of activity—the point is intimacy with God. “You will find me,” God says, “when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13). As Oswald Chambers said, “So that is what faith is—God perceived by the heart.”

What more can be said, what greater case could be made than this: to find God, you must look with all your heart. To remain present to God, you must remain present to your heart. To hear his voice, you must listen with your heart. To love him, you must love with all your heart. You cannot be the person God meant you to be, and you cannot live the life he meant you to live, unless you live from the heart.

(Waking the Dead , 48–49)

Thoughts anyone?

Miggy

If it is all about the heart, why does God give us gifts like discernment and encourage stewardship, which is all about the brain? God created all of us, not just our heart.

I think it is true, that when you are close to God, then he will give you the desires of your heart, because what you desire is what he also desires.

Heya Kel and everyone else!

Stewardship and discernment are wonderful things. Truly they are. And yes, they require much thought which is, as you say, a brain function.

But what drives good stewardship? Can it not be driven by a love for others? Isn't sometimes being a good steward of finances an act of love towards family or friends or others? Isn't being a good steward of church assets an act of love towards the church community and those outside of the community?

If you have no love, if you have no heart for a purpose...then there can be no stewardship.

And of course discernment requires thought processes. But I would contend too that it can require wisdom, gentleness and love and these of course stem from the heart. Again, if you have not the heart for the purpose, a heart for the wellbeing of someone or yourself...then what need is there for discernment?

And Jesus says that all the law is fulfilled when you love one another.

Interesting thoughts Kel!