We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also. (2 Corinthians 6:11-13) These are the words of St. Paul , who founded a church in Corinth, but they could have been the words of Jesus himself to his own people and to us. In our hearts are many chambers, and only a few do we open at a time. Wonderfully, our God actually knows the contents of every single chamber, even the ones we hide from ourselves : Even the hairs on your head have been counted. ( Luke 12:7)

When Paul wrote “Open wide your hearts,” he prefaced it with his own openness to the people of Corinth. When God sought His people to free them from Egypt, Moses first asked, “What can I tell them is your name?” “Say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of our fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—appeared to me and said, ‘I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.‘” (Exodus 2”16)

Before engaging with His people God has let them know who He is. He has spoken freely to them, and this begins His journey to make them a nation capable of opening themselves to Him. It was a long hard journey.

By now God has opened many more windows into His own character, and has found many beside Paul who have opened wide their hearts to Him. Even before Paul, David wrote, The Lord is My shepherd. . .surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23)

David opened wide his heart to God, as have many others. Jesus opened wide his heart to both God and mankind, in order that we might be reunited with God.

The things that keep some hearts tightly closed are mostly fear in the world, and a feeling of futility in opening our hearts to God. Paul demonstrated that it can be done; God demonstrated that it must be done, and we remain afraid. Jesus said, Fear not, little flock; it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. (Luke 12:32) It is a blessed journey to open our hearts to Him through scripture reading and prayer. His character is love. He shares His character with us even when we don’t love Him. The apostle John wrote, We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

Paul was looking for that love in the Corinthians, and God is looking for that love in us.

Love in Him,

Prue