Friday, September 17, 2021
Greetings, Beloved of the Lord –
It is my blessing to share the Selah blog post for Friday, September 17, entitled, “Heart to Heart.”
There is something marvelous and beautiful about having a heart- to-heart conversation with another person. The exchange that results is one of honesty, simplicity, and insight when it is done in a God-honoring and ‘other person’ uplifting way. It helps us to move beyond the ordinary and superficial to the core of who we are as people. We remove our masks, and we are who we are before the other person with whom we are sharing. There are no hidden agendas, and the goal of these conversations is truth, healing, and understanding.
I was thinking about a precious friend of mine, who just went home to be with the Lord. While we are not sinless, I honor the love she had for the Lord and His people. She was honest, caring, compassionate, loving, and always wanted the best for everyone. She sincerely loved others, and shared with all those around her. Many of us miss her already, and always will. She had a heart of gold, and whenever we talked, I knew it was heart-to-heart.
In John’s Gospel, chapter 14, Jesus had a heart-to-heart conversation with His disciples prior to His arrest and death on the cross. The overarching message in His narrative was love. Love endures. Love overcomes. Love prevails.
Celine Dion recorded a song for the movie, “Titanic” entitled, “My Heart Will Go On.” Though disasters happen, we lose the people we love, and situations hurt us, the song encourages us to live. It reminds us to continue our journey and fulfill our God-ordained purpose on earth. Jesus’ mission did not end in the grave, but was complete through His bodily resurrection! Hallelujah!
As Jesus told the disciples He was going to prepare a place for them, we have this truth. This is the power of love to endure, knowing those we love, who have crossed the threshold into life after life, are with us still, and are forever with our Lord. The shed blood of Jesus Christ makes this so. Jesus prepared the hearts of the disciples to go on after His death—sharing His love, care, compassion, and truth. In John 14:1, He states:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me.”
My Friends, this is our message. Our hearts are settled in Christ Jesus. In John 14, Jesus promised:
- To prepare a place for and return for us
- That we would do greater works
- To answer our prayers
- To send the Holy Spirit (our Advocate and Spirit of Truth) to dwell within us
- To give us life
- That we have the Love of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ
- To give us His Peace
From my heart to yours, I pray the overwhelming love of God covers you and your families. May the Lord give you joy and peace, and may you walk in the resurrection of His Light and Love always.
Until next time, My Friend,
Selah