Throughout the Bible God’s spokesperson’s appeal to the “hearts” of the people of Israel: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God , the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all our strength. ( Deuteronomy 6:5)

Jesus said, The good seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering, produce a crop. (Luke 8:15)

From the beginning to the end God seeks the “good heart,” the heart that can receive Him. Some times when it seems that all is lost, God says that He will give His people a new heart. David, when he had sinned greatly, begged God to give him a new heart: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51;10), and Ezekiel tells us that God said to His exiled people, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh, ( Ezekiel 36:26)

In looking at our hearts God is looking for one of His own creations with whom He can communicate: The eyes of the Lord roam to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give support to those whose heart is blameless toward Him. (2Chronicles 16:9) It’s the hearts of His people that God seeks and promises to help.

One day three disciples walked with Jesus up Mount Tabor and learned who was the one who was in the very heart of God. Peter, James, and John all heard the voice of God say,This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him! (Matthew 17:5) All three disciples fulfilled the words of David from centuries earlier: Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place?The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. (Psalm 24:4)

The heart of God is larger than the universe He created, but it was revealed to three frightened disciples that night on the mountain. More than two thousand years later that revelation helps us know the heart of God, the heart that yearns for us to share with Him our own hearts. From the Old Testament to the New, the heart of God beats from book to book and chapter to chapter. The message is the same. The Lord loves us with all His heart, and has given us His son.

Love in Him,

Prue