“The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs his heart. To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. Proverbs 21:1-3
Back in the days of puppy love and crushes on the opposite sex it felt like they held our heart in their hand. Some outcomes were good while others were not as memorable. Holding our heart in their hand turned out to be either a treasure to care for or a toy to crush. Warnings from our parents were often ignored as they tried to tell us to watch out for who we hand our heart out to.
I don’t know about the king from Proverbs parents. They might have warned him about handing his heart out to just anyone. If they didn’t they very likely played a part in telling him the one who needs to hold his heart is the Lord. A place to be treasured, loved, and cared for where a “Handle with Care” sign would never be needed.
We may have blamed many boys of “stealing” our hearts but with God He will never steal it. Patiently He waits for us to make that vital decision of whether we are going to entrust it into His care or not.
Once we have taken that step God will direct it like the proverb said, “like a watercourse wherever He pleases.” Sadly enough some people see this as God using our heart as some kind of a joystick to play His games and to watch the players do as He pleases. Not so the case. God’s the one with the wisdom to know what is best for us and we need to trust His judgment. Like little children we think we know what is best or what is right but it’s God who truly knows.
Isn’t it strange that when it comes to our hearts we are the ones who weigh them down with our burdens and sin and its God that “weighs” them as a type of measurement. I don’t know about you but I’ve had a pretty heavy heart in my life a time or two, or three, or more. A heart so heavy I couldn’t even pick it up but God did. He reached out to me so many times I could never hope to count each moment only treasure them.
Just this last Sunday as the elder’s of the church come forward during the time of prayer the preacher announced anyone needing prayer could come forward with them to pray. Standing there singing to the music there were no takers for this invitation. I didn’t even go forward as I thought, “I’m fine. Thanks but no thanks, I’ll pray right here. I’m strong.”
Quietly one by one the elders began to leave the front of the sanctuary. As one walked by the pew I was sitting in without my permission my hand reached out to the elder walking by as I began to sob. Gently giving me a hug he asked me if I wanted to pray. Evidently the answer was yes. I had no idea how heavy my heart was but God had it measured and knew before I did.
Joined in a quiet room with the elder’s wife we began to pray as the burden and sin of my heart began to spill out. I had given my heart to God but temporarily had taken it back to load it down with a heaviness it was to weak to carry.
If you think about it that is something we are all guilty of doing. All God wants is for us to do what is right yet we tend to complicate it. We do permanent damage to our shoulder trying to pat ourselves on the back for the sacrifices we think we’ve made as if they were trophies to be displayed.
What God wants is for us to simply to do what is right and the first right thing is to give our heart over to the hand of the Lord to handle with care, to entrust to Him daily the measuring of our heart to guide and direct and protect it from overload. Before we know it we will soon catch up to it in Heaven when at last we will not only be in the hands of God but in His arms as well gently hugging us as He says, “Do you want to pray.” Evidently the answer will be, “YES!”
Exodus 6:6 (paraphrased by me) “Therefore say to the children of God: “I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of whatever you have weighed down your heart with. I will rescue you from the bondage you have created around you, and I will redeem you with an out-stretched arm and with great judgments as I handle with your heart, your life, and your love in My hand.”
© 2009 Karen J. Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing
Back in the days of puppy love and crushes on the opposite sex it felt like they held our heart in their hand. Some outcomes were good while others were not as memorable. Holding our heart in their hand turned out to be either a treasure to care for or a toy to crush. Warnings from our parents were often ignored as they tried to tell us to watch out for who we hand our heart out to.
I don’t know about the king from Proverbs parents. They might have warned him about handing his heart out to just anyone. If they didn’t they very likely played a part in telling him the one who needs to hold his heart is the Lord. A place to be treasured, loved, and cared for where a “Handle with Care” sign would never be needed.
We may have blamed many boys of “stealing” our hearts but with God He will never steal it. Patiently He waits for us to make that vital decision of whether we are going to entrust it into His care or not.
Once we have taken that step God will direct it like the proverb said, “like a watercourse wherever He pleases.” Sadly enough some people see this as God using our heart as some kind of a joystick to play His games and to watch the players do as He pleases. Not so the case. God’s the one with the wisdom to know what is best for us and we need to trust His judgment. Like little children we think we know what is best or what is right but it’s God who truly knows.
Isn’t it strange that when it comes to our hearts we are the ones who weigh them down with our burdens and sin and its God that “weighs” them as a type of measurement. I don’t know about you but I’ve had a pretty heavy heart in my life a time or two, or three, or more. A heart so heavy I couldn’t even pick it up but God did. He reached out to me so many times I could never hope to count each moment only treasure them.
Just this last Sunday as the elder’s of the church come forward during the time of prayer the preacher announced anyone needing prayer could come forward with them to pray. Standing there singing to the music there were no takers for this invitation. I didn’t even go forward as I thought, “I’m fine. Thanks but no thanks, I’ll pray right here. I’m strong.”
Quietly one by one the elders began to leave the front of the sanctuary. As one walked by the pew I was sitting in without my permission my hand reached out to the elder walking by as I began to sob. Gently giving me a hug he asked me if I wanted to pray. Evidently the answer was yes. I had no idea how heavy my heart was but God had it measured and knew before I did.
Joined in a quiet room with the elder’s wife we began to pray as the burden and sin of my heart began to spill out. I had given my heart to God but temporarily had taken it back to load it down with a heaviness it was to weak to carry.
If you think about it that is something we are all guilty of doing. All God wants is for us to do what is right yet we tend to complicate it. We do permanent damage to our shoulder trying to pat ourselves on the back for the sacrifices we think we’ve made as if they were trophies to be displayed.
What God wants is for us to simply to do what is right and the first right thing is to give our heart over to the hand of the Lord to handle with care, to entrust to Him daily the measuring of our heart to guide and direct and protect it from overload. Before we know it we will soon catch up to it in Heaven when at last we will not only be in the hands of God but in His arms as well gently hugging us as He says, “Do you want to pray.” Evidently the answer will be, “YES!”
Exodus 6:6 (paraphrased by me) “Therefore say to the children of God: “I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of whatever you have weighed down your heart with. I will rescue you from the bondage you have created around you, and I will redeem you with an out-stretched arm and with great judgments as I handle with your heart, your life, and your love in My hand.”
© 2009 Karen J. Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing
5 comments:
"We do permanent damage to our shoulder trying to pat ourselves on the back for the sacrifices we think we’ve made as if they were trophies to be displayed."
Wow. These are powerful and eloquent words. I appreciate the way you paired a "heavy heart" with the way God "weighs" our hearts. Words of wisdom for sure. Thank you for sharing today.
Oh yes Karen, we tend to take our hearts in our hands instead of trusting God with them. So glad that you gave in and asked for prayer. I think so many times we miss out on a blessing by allowing other Christians to pray for us and with us.
Precious example of how God knows the weights in our heart and seeks to ease the burden. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for sharing this week.
"I had given my heart to God but temporarily had taken it back to load it down with a heaviness it was to weak to carry."
Ohhhh . . . .can I relate to that! Thank you for being so peronal!
What God wants is for us to simply to do what is right and the first right thing is to give our heart over to the hand of the Lord to handle with care, to entrust to Him daily the measuring of our heart to guide and direct and protect it from overload.
Sound advice, Karen. Thanks.
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