Head to Heart

Have you ever measured the distance between your head and your heart. I suspect, if experience is any indicator, you'll find that it is a long way.

We Christians are often pretty good at acknowledging the truth. God is Sovereign! Jesus saves! God is a God of mercy and grace! Lots of things like this we readily admit and extol. Why is it, then, that we don't seem to actually believe it?

How many times have you heard, "God is in control"? And how many times, when something goes wrong, is this the first thing that pops into your mind? How many times have you thanked God for His mercy and grace? And when you encounter your own sin and failing, is it God's mercy and grace that comes first to your mind or is it guilt and doubt?

Most Christians, given the chance, will gladly admit to the truth about God and the Christian life. On the other hand, most of us struggle with moving that admission from head to heart. We mentally agree, but don't allow it to invade our feelings, our intuition, our perceptions. There are even times, in the midst of our problems, that we are offended by those who would remind us of the truths that we already affirmed.

I am often torn in my blogging. I don't like to repeat myself. Sometimes I feel it is boring at best and insulting at worst. I know, on the other hand, that one of the best way to learn things is by repetition. So if I repeat things, perhaps those few of you who read this stuff on a regular basis will understand that I am doing so out of genuine concern. I know I have difficulty working stuff that is in my head that apparently vast distance to my heart. I am hoping that, by means of repetition, at least on the important items, I can help myself and help you to become so accustomed to these truths that it might be part of your natural response to life's vagaries.

If you are a believer, remember this. God is sovereign. When things go wrong, God is sovereign. When times are tough, God is sovereign. When you can't see your way through, God is sovereign. Remember this: We have salvation in Christ. When you struggle with sin and wonder how you can possibly have any hope, remember that we have salvation in Christ. When you realize that you are a sinner and can't seem to put an end to your own sin, remember that God is merciful and gracious. Repetition of truth may seem boring, but it is often helpful in working truth from the hollow shell of the mind to the inner workings of the heart ... you know, the place we need it most. It is good to remind ourselves often of the great truths about our Lord and Savior that provide the marvelous comfort that we so often and so dearly need.